After a high-stakes rematch fueled by a season-ending injury, Anthony Stolarz reveals he was ready to trade saves for punches to protect his teammates.
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Anthony Stolarz was ready to throw the punches if needed.
In the first meeting between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Anaheim Ducks since the fateful night of March 12—when a knee-on-knee hit from Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas effectively ended Auston Matthews’ season—both teams combined for 85 minutes in penalties during Toronto’s 5-4 overtime win. The physical intensity on the ice mirrored the turmoil off of it, as the teams revisited a rivalry that had turned personal.
During a TV timeout, Stolarz was seen bumping Ducks goaltender Ville Husso. Speaking following Wednesday’s practice at Honda Center, Stolarz didn’t shy away from explaining the motivation behind his rare excursion to the other end of the ice.
"I saw [Husso] slash Willie [Nylander] earlier in the game," Stolarz said. “I just kind of told him, don't touch anyone else again or I'm going to come down there. It’s just trying to get an advantage; the mind games started".
Stolarz noted that the team felt a collective responsibility to respond, especially after Max Domi dropped the gloves right after the opening face-off to address the Gudas situation. “I thought it was awesome,” Stolarz said of Domi’s fight. “Just the way he was able to get it over with quick and respond. I think the way everyone else rallied behind that... we’re a family in here and we knew we had to take it to him”.
Standing at 6-foot-6, Stolarz is one of the more imposing figures in a crease. When asked if he was truly prepared to engage in a full-scale goalie fight, the netminder didn’t hesitate. "I think I’d be fine," Stolarz remarked with a grin. "I’m a bigger guy, so I think that’s going to help with the reach. It’s not something you go into every game looking for, but if the opportunity does come, I wouldn’t say no".
Despite the extracurriculars, Stolarz remained focused on the task at hand. He mentioned he spent much of the night chatting with the officials, not about his conduct, but about the Ducks players constantly infringing on his crease. As rare as goaltending fights are, Stolarz did admit scoring a goal would rank higher on his want list compared to a fight.
The victory was bittersweet for a Leafs squad navigating a turbulent period. Beyond the injuries, the team has been dealing with the fallout of management changes. Stolarz expressed his appreciation for former GM Brad Treliving, who was dismissed officially just over an hour before the game. “He was always around the room, always talking to guys, always personable,” Stolarz said. “He’s the one that brought me here, and I appreciate everything he did for me and my family”.