“Should be gone for the rest of the series” – NHL fans demand SUSPENSION for Sam Bennett for his elbow hit on goaltender Anthony Stolarz in Game 1

Maple Leafs goalie Anthony Stolarz would exit Game 1 and was taken to a nearby hospital after colliding with Sam Bennett in the second period.

“Should be gone for the rest of the series” – NHL fans demand SUSPENSION for Sam Bennett for his elbow hit on goaltender Anthony Stolarz in Game 1

Sam Bennett and Anthony Stolarz (Image via Daily Faceoff/X/@BR_OpenIce/Sportsnet)

Florida Panthers star Sam Bennett has once again found himself in hot water following his actions against Anthony Stolarz. The Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender was stretched out of the game after Bennett’s hit, leading to several fans demanding a hefty suspension.

The two Atlantic Division rivals entered Game 1 of this second-round series by beating one of their arch rivals. While the Maple Leafs knocked out the Ottawa Senators in the “Battle of Ontario“, the Panthers took down the Tampa Bay Lightning in the “Battle of Florida.”

Earlier in the game, Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz took a puck to the face. A shot from Sam Reinhardt would hit him in the face and knock off his mask. This hit reportedly got him concussed.

In the second period of the game, Sam Bennett would collide with Stolarz near the Maple Leafs’ goal. During this collision, the elbow of the Panthers’ star would hit Stolarz on the head. Check out a video regarding this incident from X below:

Stolarz would remain in the game for another 10 minutes before being replaced by Joseph Woll. During this, the 31-year-goaltender would throw up near the Maple Leafs bench and was later stretched out of the game and taken to a nearby medical facility.

As per neuroscientist Chris Nowinski, throwing up multiple times after a brain injury is not a good sign. As for the hit of Bennett, there was no call from the officials on the ice. Stolarz, who was the backup keeper of the Panthers in their cup-winning run last season, has started all 7 games for the Maple Leafs in the playoffs so far.

Social media reacts to Sam Bennett’s hit on Anthony Stolarz

Sam Bennett‘s hit on Anthony Stolarz has become a huge topic of debate among hockey fans on the internet. The hit from the Florida Panthers star overshadowed a thrilling game between the two division rivals.

Sam Bennett and Anthony Stolarz
Sam Bennett and Anthony Stolarz (Image via ESPN/Sportsnet)

Several NHL fans on X were not pleased to see the hit from Bennett. While, there were some who came into his defense, the majority of the fans demanded a suspension for him. One user wrote, “Should be gone the rest of the series.”

Check out that and some other fan reactions regarding this incident below:

The big question in the minds of the fans is whether there will be any action from the NHL Department of Player Safety (DoPS). As per NHL insider Pierre LeBrun, there will be internal discussions in the Player Safety department regarding this. However, at the moment, nothing is clear whether there will be a hearing or not.

Sam Bennett was made unavailable for post-match interview following hit on Maple Leafs goaltender

Following his hit on Anthony Stolarz, many fans were eager to hear what Sam Bennett had to say in his defense. However, they did not get to hear that, as he was made unavailable for the media duties after the game.

Sam Bennett
Sam Bennett (Image via Daily Faceoff)

As per insider Pierre LeBrun, the Panthers PR informed the reporters at the Scotiabank Arena that 28-year-old would not be talking tonight. This action from the reigning Stanley Cup champions also ignited some fierce reactions from fans.

Speaking of the game, the Toronto Maple Leafs came out as 5-4 winners. At one stage, the hosts led 4-1, but two quick goals made it 4-3. Forward Matthew Knies then scored with around 6 minutes remaining to make it 5-3. Bennett pulled another one back for the Panthers, but that was not enough to avoid suffering a Game 1 defeat.

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