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Sam Bennett's Comments on Vicious Anthony Stolarz Hit Adds Tension to Series

Originally posted on Blade of Steel | By Tom Banks | Last updated May 6, 2025 5:37 PM ET

Sam Bennett has been the talk of the NHL in the last 24 hours, and now he's addressed the hit that resulted in Anthony Stolarz being hospitalized.

The Stanley Cup Playoffs have been red-hot thus far, and in Game One of the second round, things heated up even more when Sam Bennett's hit to the head of Anthony Stolarz saw him vomiting on the bench before ultimately being stretchered out of ScotiaBank Arena after the game.

The hit caused a stir across social media, especially when Bennett refused to talk to the media after the game, but on Tuesday, he addressed his actions against his former Florida Panthers teammate.

"I heard that he went to the hospital last night and Stolie's a good friend of mine. Reached out to him and he responded never want to see an injury like that. From my point of view I'm just taking a puck to the net I didn't even know we made contact until after."

Unsurprisingly, Bennett defended his role in the play, stating that 'he didn't know he even made contact with Stolarz until after', as he also revealed that he reached out to him after the game.

While many believe Bennett should have been suspended for his role in the play, the veteran forward defends his role by stating it was an accident as he was looking to take the puck to the net, but after years of doing this, it's hard to accept this point of view.

This was just Game One however, so there's very little chance that this situation is over, with Toronto potentially out for revenge in Game Two, and with the inconsistency of the NHL's Department of Player Safety, things are just getting started in this rivalry.

This article first appeared on Blade of Steel and was syndicated with permission.

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