Footage Surfaces That Could Change Everything About Sam Bennett's Controversial Hit
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
New video footage has surfaced that could change everything about Sam Bennett's controversial hit on Anthony Stolartz, and it could make him innocent.
The Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Florida Panthers in Game 1 but likely lost starting goalie Anthony Stolarz for the foreseeable future in the process.
While head coach Craig Berube hasn't officially scratched him from Game 2 just yet, initial indications are that Joseph Woll will assume duties in goal from here forward.
Stolarz was forced to be removed from Game 1 after taking a couple of blows to the head. He was taken off the ice on a stretcher and transported to a nearby hospital.
One particularly significant collision involved Panthers forward Sam Bennett, who struck Stolarz's head with what seemed initially to be his elbow.
The play had no penalty, and neither the Maple Leafs nor the NHL Department of Player Safety responded with any form of discipline at the time.
It appears Bennett's elbow never once struck Stolarz's head
But later, new video footage has shown it was the back of the hand of Bennett, and not his elbow, that hit. This kind of evidence suggests this was an inadvertent act rather than premeditated.
Now that the cause of Stolarz's injury is in doubt, whether or not Bennett is solely to blame for the health of the goaltender is doubtful. Either way, things should get hot in Game 2.
TSN analyst and former NHL defenseman Frank Corrado said that while the Leafs shouldn't overreact and lose a game, they shouldn't avoid confronting Bennett, especially given his history of dubious plays.
"Is there going to be some kind of retribution by Toronto?" Corrado said. "Within the parameters of the game, where you're not doing something undisciplined, why not? Why not use this situation to gain some kind of something in this series? Some kind of momentum. Get some excitement into the building."
"If someone wants to go out there and challenge Sam Bennett, he's a big boy," Corrado said. "He's fought before, he hits guys, he hits people in the head, he should take that challenge."
"If someone wants to go out there and challenge Sam Bennett, he's a big boy," Corrado said. "He's fought before, he hits guys, he hits people in the head, he should take that challenge."
The Leafs are now confronted with the challenge of staying competitive and composed as the series becomes increasingly tense after Stolarz's injury.
| POLL | ||
MAI 7 | 534 ANSWERS Footage Surfaces That Could Change Everything About Sam Bennett's Controversial Hit Does this new video footage prove Sam Bennett's innocence? | ||
| Yes | 156 | 29.2 % |
| No | 378 | 70.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
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