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Anthony Stolarz showed up and showed out against the Ottawa Senators in Game 1 of the Battle of Ontario, which the Toronto Maple Leafs won commandingly, 6-2.
The 31-year-old stopped 31 of 33 shots from the Senators, winning his first-ever NHL playoff game. It wasn't an easy game, though, as Stolarz had to battle through a lot of physicality throughout.
He'd like to have the first goal allowed back, which hopped over his stick before landing on Drake Batherson's stick, who, at the time, cut Toronto's 2-0 lead in half.
"It kind of hops over your stick, right? That’s part of being a goalie, it’s short-term memory, and you gotta worry about that next shot," Stolarz said after Toronto took a 1-0 series lead.
"Guys did a really good job for me, keeping them to the outside, and when my number was called to make a big save, I just tried my best to do that. Like I said, though, our commitment to playing a 200-foot game, blocking shots, having good sticks in lanes, I think, was key to our success tonight."
There were countless moments in Sunday's game where Stolarz had to battle through physicality. At one point late in the third period, Ottawa's Ridly Greig drove the net hard, colliding with Stolarz, who said his knee hit the post.
"Yeah, I’m fine. He just kind of came in and caught me in a little awkward spot," said Stolarz. "It was something that just happened, he blew a tire. It is what it is, and I felt fine and was able to finish the game."
Despite the conditions in front of him, Stolarz backstopped the Maple Leafs when they needed it most. He stopped Brady Tkachuk on a breakaway early in the second period before making some timely stops later in the frame.
He comes up big in key moments, and that's why Toronto brought him into the fold last summer on a deal that keeps him with the Maple Leafs for another season after this one.
"Well, he had to make some huge saves, I thought, in the second period after we had the five-on-three. They had three really good opportunities after that, when it became five-on-five, he made big saves. I thought he was solid, very solid tonight."
At the other end of the rink, however, was Linus Ullmark, who had a difficult night.
He allowed two goals on Toronto's first four shots and gave up six total, leaving Scotiabank Arena on Sunday evening with a .750 save percentage, well below his .910 season total.
"It's just one game," Ullmark told reporters after the loss.
"That's the view of it. It doesn't matter how you play one game and you lose it. You can lose 1-0, and it's still going to be a loss. It's just have the mind of a goldfish and go out there and play a game two with a little bit of a chip on your shoulder."
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'I Can't Say Enough About Matthew Knies and JT In Those Areas': Maple Leafs Explode For 3 Power-Play Goals To Down Senators In Game 1The Toronto Maple Leafs exploded for three power-play goals against the Ottawa Senators in a 6-2 victory in Game 1 of their first-round series in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Ullmark is right: there are more games in this series. However, if Ottawa allows Toronto to keep firing on all cylinders, it will be a quick first round for both teams. Either way, Stolarz clearly has the upper hand on the goaltending after Game 1.
But don't count out Vezina Trophy-winner Ullmark just yet.
"I like our goaltending. I like our goalie a lot," Senators head coach Travis Green said post-game. "He's a good goalie. He's won a Vezina. He's pretty good. There's no elephant in our room."
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