Toronto Maple Leafs Experience Injury Scare with Goaltender Anthony Stolarz Vs. the New York Rangers
The Toronto Maple Leafs lost 4-1 to the Rangers on Saturday night and could have lost Anthony Stolarz too, avoiding tragedy after the goalie lost a skate blade.
Typically, NHL players have their equipment triple-checked before they head onto the ice, as any discomfort or misplaced protection can be the difference between avoiding serious injury or not. Very rarely do you see equipment break other than sticks, and those are often either when a frozen piece of rubber hits it, or a blistering slapshot that was just a bit too hot to handle.
So during the Toronto Maple Leafs/New York Rangers game on Saturday night, not only did Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz have an equipment malfunction, but a serious one at that, and luckily avoided any potential consequences.
Stolarz lost a skate blade during the game and eventually needed to be carried off the ice to the locker room:
It's a bit incredulous that the Maple Leafs goaltender couldn't get a stoppage in play considering the danger of playing without a blade, not to mention how fiercely protective the NHL is of their goalies. If a helmet flies off the whistle blows and everything comes to an abrupt halt; why was it not the same with Stolarz's skates? He was clearly trying to alert the referee that something was wrong but went ignored until things settled down long enough for him to explain what was going on.
It's a huge relief that Stolarz didn't face a shot after the mishap and avoided any serious injury especially being so off-balanced. Stolarz has come into this season and taken the starting role as Joseph Woll nurses a groin injury but has played well enough to keep that role upon Woll's return.
Although he struggled Saturday against the Rangers, he had a 2-1-0 record with a 1.70 GAA and .940 SV% going into the game and has shown why he can be trusted to be a #1 starter; a role that's eluded him for his career.
Luckily for Stolarz and the Maple Leafs, nothing too serious happened and the only negative was having a rough game, and no team is perfect. Off-nights happen, and thankfully the off-night didn't turn into a night off; or worse, for Stolarz.
