Panthers' Bennett: No 'ill intent' on elbow to Leafs' Stolarz - ESPN

TORONTO — Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett denied any «ill intent» after he elbowed Maple Leafs' goaltender Anthony Stolarz in the head during Game 1 of their second-round Eastern Conference playoff series on Monday.

Bennett collided with Stolarz midway through the second period on a Florida power play opportunity. There was no penalty called by the official standing nearby. Stolarz remained briefly in the net before going to Toronto's bench and vomiting. He exited from there and was later taken from Scotiabank Arena to a local hospital.

Sources confirmed to ESPN on Tuesday that the NHL would not be assessing any supplemental discipline against Bennett for the hit. Florida did not make Bennett available to media following Florida's 5-4 loss on Monday, but Bennett defended his actions in a Tuesday press conference.

«I'm just taking a puck to the net,» he said. «I didn't even know that we made contact until after. And I'm on the power play. I'm trying to score. I'm taking the puck to the net. That's really all there was to it.»

Bennett became good friends with Stolarz when they were teammates last year in Florida, when Stolarz backed up for Sergei Bobrovsky throughout the Panthers' Stanley Cup-winning season. After Monday's game Bennett reached out to Stolarz and said the goalie responded.

The uproar over Bennett's play has historical roots. When the Leafs and Panthers met in a 2023 second-round series, Bennett drove Toronto forward Matthew Knies into the boards, causing a concussion. Last year, Bennett was suspended in another second-round series against Boston for punching now-teammate Brad Marchand.

Now Bennett is the villain again, whether he sees himself that way or not.

«I can understand why people react [the way