Anthony Stolarz Sends Clear Message to the Senators Ahead of Round 1 Series Against the Leafs

For the first time in 2 decades, the Toronto Maple Leafs will meet the Ottawa Senators in the Stanley Cup Playoffs in what is sure to be one of the most interesting Round 1 matchups across the NHL.

On a night where Auston Matthews scored his 400th career NHL goal and Mitch Marner finally tallied 100 points in a single season, it was Anthony Stolarz who was appointed "Player of the Game", earning the Leafs championship belt following the win.

Stolarz posted his 3rd shutout of the season in a 4-0 win in Buffalo to help the Leafs secure 1st place in their division, which will force a Round 1 matchup against the Senators. The veteran netminder also pulled into the lead for best save percentage among all NHL goalies with at least 25 games played, likely finishing his 2024-25 campaign with a .926 SV%, as Joseph Woll is the logical projected starter for the season finale against Detroit on Thursday.

Following the win over Buffalo on Tuesday, Stolarz had a very clear message for Ottawa, indicating right out of the gate what type of series he expects it to be.

Despite establishing that he expects the Leafs' series against Ottawa to be a violent one, Stolarz did not sell the Senators short, reminding everyone that they're a hungry team with a lot to prove.

Even though Stolarz attempted to be humble and give the Sens their due, Leafs teammate Steven Lorentz was quick to remind Senators fans of what the last Leafs/Sens series entailed and how it ended -- with the Leafs winning in 7 back in 2004.

Stolarz has very likely locked up the starting gig for Game 1 after rattling off his 8th consecutive win -- a personal record for him. The Leafs also have a very capable 1B in Joseph Woll, who has played some tremendous hockey this year as well.