Stolarz shines for Leafs in victory over Rangers

TORONTO – Anthony Stolarz stopped almost every puck thrown his way Thursday.

The Maple Leafs goaltender stretched and contorted to deny chance after chance, including a jaw-dropping sequence minus a crucial piece of equipment.

One of Stolarz’s 28 saves in Toronto’s hard-fought, grind-it-out 2-1 overtime victory against the Rangers came off the stick of New York captain J.T. Miller after the hulking netminder had his mask knocked off.

After the initial shot from Matt Rempe rattled Stolarz’s helmet before it tumbled to the ice, Miller had a point-blank opportunity from the slot that was denied with the right pad after referees determined, as per the NHL rule book, there was an imminent scoring chance — despite the danger.

“Trying to be a competitor and slide across,” Stolarz said. “It’s not an ideal situation, but at that stage of the game, you’re just trying to do anything to keep the puck on the net.”

The 31-year-old said he hopes the league examines the sequence — along with a similar play involving Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill — and tweaks the standard in the name of safety.

“Hopefully we can find a compromise,” Stlolarz said. “It’s not like goalies are trying to knock our helmets off. Without the buckle, you can’t really see the puck, you can’t really track or do anything, because as you move your head, it falls off. Hopefully the league can look at it and talk to some goalies or people who have knowledge of the position.

“And we can come to some sort of compromise where our safety isn’t put at risk.”

Toronto head coach Craig Berube said on-ice officials are in a tough position when a goaltender’s mask comes off with the opposition pressing.

“He’s in a very vulnerable position and a position to get really hurt,” he said. “I don’t think anybody wants to see that — ever. In my opinion, blow it down. But that’s me.”

Leafs captain Auston Matthews, who scored the winner 58 seconds into the extra period off a William Nylander feed, wasn’t aware of the rule until one of the referees came to Toronto’s bench with an explanation.

“His helmet is off and J.T. Miller’s coming down the slot,” Matthews said. “Thankfully it didn’t hit him there, but I was completely unaware of the rule. I thought the second his helmet’s off, play’s got to be dead.”

Matthew Knies, who opened the scoring for Toronto with the club’s first power-play goal of 2025-26, also learned something new Thursday.

“I was a little scared, to be honest,” he said. “I thought it was supposed to be blown … that was a shocker, for sure, for everyone.”

Added Nylander: “That was crazy.”

Stolarz, meanwhile, was on point most of the night. He made a couple of huge stops on Will Cuylle in the first period and another off a Sam Carrick chance on an odd-man rush in the second.

“Incredible,” Matthews said. “Another example of just what a gamer he is. He just goes in there and he wants to compete. He’s a big communicator back there, he lets you know what’s going on, and he’ll let you know when he doesn’t like what he’s seeing.”

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Toronto’s undisputed No. 1 goaltender at the moment with Joseph Woll away from the team due to a family matter, Stolarz signed a four-year, US$15-million contract extension last month after a standout first season in blue and white following a career mostly spent as a backup.

“Making huge saves for us,” Nylander said. “Like he’s been doing since he got here … played incredible.”

MILLER’S TIME

Rangers bench boss Mike Sullivan was asked before the game about his experience coaching Miller for the United States at February’s Four Nations Face-Off tournament — and if that helped in the decision to name him captain.

“It certainly gave me a better opportunity to get to know him as a person and get a better understanding of what makes him tick,” Sullivan said. “The one thing that jumped out at me with respect to J.T. at the Four Nations, is he is a fierce, fierce competitor. He has an incredible appetite to win, and he’s willing to do what it takes to win.

“Those are great attributes to have if you’re a captain of an NHL hockey team.”

BASEBALL FEVER

Fans at Scotiabank Arena erupted midway through the third period as news filtered through the crowd that the Toronto Blue Jays had taken the lead in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series in Seattle against the Mariners.

“You could tell that something good was happening,” Matthews said. “Randomly the crowd just started cheering … it was great.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 16, 2025.

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