翱罢罢础奥础鈥擳丑别 Ottawa Senators, down three games to none, are doing their level best to try to get into Anthony Stolarz‘s head, even though the evidence suggests the Maple Leafs goaltender is in theirs.
It’s got to the point that the NHL had to fine the Senators $25,000 and forward Nick Cousins $2,083.33 (the most allowed under the collective bargaining agreement) for something that happened in the pre-game warm-ups on Thursday night: Cousins shot a puck 鈥 lightly 鈥 toward Stolarz.
It was a topic of conversation after the Senators held their team meeting Friday.
鈥淚t’s an active investigation. I don’t know if I should be commenting on it,鈥 said Senators coach Travis Green, his deadpan delivery getting a good chuckle from the assembled media. 鈥淚’m kidding. Yeah, I saw the video. Cousins and Stolarz have played together. He’s probably trying to either get a laugh or make a joke or get him off his game. It is what it is.鈥
Here鈥檚 what NHL is looking at from last night. 鈥淔riend of Bieksa鈥 Nick Cousins shoots puck at Stolarz. NHL not crazy about pre-game stuff鈥lso clamped down on funny Scheifele/Hofer standoff in Blues/Jets series
鈥 Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC)
Green said he 鈥渢alked鈥 to Cousins about it.
鈥淗e said ‘I know him,’鈥 said Green. 鈥淚t’s game within the game. Happens probably a lot more than you think.鈥
Leafs coach Craig Berube didn’t seem put off by it.
“I don’t think it’s anything,” said Berube. “The league will handle it.”
Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly said that sort of thing “happens a lot. It’s all good.”
The Shanaplan-era Leafs聽have never been in this situation before: up 3-0 and looking for their first post-season sweep Saturday night.
The Shanaplan-era Leafs聽have never been in this situation before: up 3-0 and looking for their first post-season sweep Saturday night.
At Thursday’s morning skate, the Senators’ ice-resurfacing crew left a portion of the ice in front of one of the nets untouched. The Leafs didn’t complain.
Some players, and Ottawa’s Thomas Chabot admits he’s one of them, shoot the puck at the other net as they leave the ice after warm-ups. Edmonton Oilers forward Corey Perry made that famous. The league allows that, but is not fond of pucks directed toward unsuspecting goalies from the other team during warm-ups.
The Senators have done their level best to get at Stolarz, who has stymied them through three games. The likes of Ridly Greig and Brady Tkachuk have tried to take liberties on the Leafs netminder. Stolarz gave it back to Greig especially in Game 2, even taking a roughing penalty.
海角社区官网sits one game from the Original Six franchise's first playoff sweep since 2001. (April 25, 2025 / The Canadian Press)
鈥淚 just kind of stay out of it,鈥 Stolarz said after winning Game 3. 鈥淚 kind of talked to the refs a little bit there and just said, you watch my back and I’ll behave. They’re gonna try to get to the net and they got some big guys. So it’s just up to me. It’s just trying to fight through traffic, find that puck and smother it.鈥
According to the NHL, the Senators were guilty of “unsportsmanlike conduct” and their $25,000 fine will go to the NHL Foundation. Cousins’ fine goes to the Players鈥 Emergency Assistance Fund.
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