The Toronto Maple Leafs are on the brink of rewriting history, and the buzz is electric as they head into Game 7 against the Florida Panthers. For a team haunted by a 23-year playoff curse—last reaching the Eastern Conference Final in 2002—the Leafs are showing signs of breaking free. Auston Matthews turned heads in Game 6, shaking off a shaky stretch to deliver a performance that reminded everyone why he’s a superstar. Now, with the pressure at its peak, there’s more good news for Toronto fans.
The Leafs started strong in Round 2, jumping to a 2-0 lead over the Panthers. But the momentum flipped with three straight losses, fueling whispers of that dreaded playoff curse. Matthews’ Game 6 heroics, however, flipped the narrative, and Woll’s shutout in Florida on Friday sent the series back to Toronto for a do-or-die showdown.
Now, Anthony Stolarz is back on the bench for Game 7, serving as the backup goaltender to Joseph Woll, as confirmed by a LeafsLatest tweet: “ BREAKING: Anthony Stolarz will backup Joseph Woll tonight for game 7. ” Stolarz’s return adds another layer of hope. The 31-year-old netminder was a rock in Round 1 against the Ottawa Senators, boasting a 2.19 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage. His season was cut short in Game 1 of this series after a forearm to the head from Panthers’ Sam Bennett—a play that sparked controversy but saw no penalty or suspension. Stolarz, visibly shaken, was believed to have suffered a concussion after vomiting on the bench, though the Leafs never officially confirmed the injury.
But if Stolarz does hit the ice tonight, he’s going to have his work cut out for him. That’s because Woll has had a tough game, having conceded 3 goals in the first two periods.
BREAKING: Anthony Stolarz will backup Joseph Woll tonight for game 7.
— Leafslatest (@Leafslatest) May 18, 2025
The story is developing…
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