Sam Bennett of the Florida Panthers faced criticism after elbowing goaltender Anthony Stolarz during Game 1 against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Stolarz left the ice after the incident, suspected of a concussion, but the NHL chose not to impose any penalties on Bennett. In a subsequent press conference, Bennett claimed he did not intend to hurt Stolarz, emphasizing he was just focused on scoring. This incident rekindles past controversies surrounding Bennett's playing style, which has earned him a reputation for aggressive hits.
I'm just taking a puck to the net. I didn't even know that we made contact until after. And I'm on the power play. I'm trying to score. That's really all there was to it.
I can understand why people react [the way they have], because Stolly is injured. When your starting goalie gets injured, people get upset.
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