Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll gets chance against Panthers amid concerns about Stolarz

TORONTO (AP) — Joseph Woll is back under the postseason spotlight, a place the Toronto Maple Leafs goalie has thrived in the past.

Woll was given the start for Game 2 of the team’s second-round Stanley Cup playoff series against Florida on Wednesday night and finished with 25 saves in the Maple Leafs' 4-3 win for a 2-0 series lead.

The 26-year-old Woll entered the opener midway through the second period after starter Anthony Stolarz took an elbow to the head from former teammate Sam Bennett and wound up at the hospital. On Wednesday, Woll made his first start since April 17.

“It’s been something I’ve had to focus on and come up with a plan to stay ready,” Woll said. “It’s a different challenge than playing every night, but a challenge nonetheless.”

Woll, who entered with a .950 save percentage in his four previous playoff starts, also performed well when called upon in both the 2023 and 2024 postseasons because of injury.

“Calm and cool,” Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube said. “On his toes and fighting through traffic. Very impressed.”

Veteran Matt Murray, who spent most of this season in the American Hockey League, served as Woll’s backup over Dennis Hildeby. The rookie was on the bench in the third period of Game 1.

“Experience, I think, more than anything,” Berube said of turning to Murray, a two-time Cup winner with the Pittsburgh Penguins. “He’s been there, done it.”

The Maple Leafs have not disclosed details of Stolarz's injury, though Berube said the 31-year-old is “recovering” and “doing well.”

Chris Nowinski, chief executive officer of the Concussion Legacy Foundation, said he was concerned with how the situation was handled at Scotiabank Arena.

“Stolarz was hit in the head twice where he exhibited possible signs of concussion and neither time was he removed and assessed,” Nowinski told the Canadian Press. “I can’t remember the last time I saw a player vomiting on the ice, but it makes you very concerned about what was happening in his brain and whether (he) not only had a concussion, but a possible brain bleed.”

Stolarz’s mask came off in the first period of Toronto’s 5-4 victory when he stopped a shot by Sam Reinhart. Stolarz appeared to shake his head before putting the mask back on and resuming play. In the second period, he was elbowed in the head as Bennett skated through the crease. Stolarz immediately grabbed his head as he fell to the ice.

He later leaned over the boards and vomited into a bucket. He left the game midway through the period and was replaced by Woll.

According to the NHL/NHLPA’s concussion protocol, the identification and removal of a player is a club-level responsibility. The actual diagnosis and whether to play is up to the team doctor. League spotters also observe players’ behavior during games to help.

A Maple Leafs team spokesman said “spotters were not involved” in Stolarz’s departure from the game.

Nowinski said he was concerned about the head shake by Stolarz; he said research has shown many athletes who do that end up having a concussion.

“The fact that he was left out there (to) vomit in front of the entire world shows that the NHL was not conservative enough in their decision of how to execute their protocol," he told CP.

Woll was solid off the bench and held off the Panthers late, stopping 17 of 20 shots as Florida rallied after trailing 4-1 through 40 minutes.

The Panthers got defenseman Aaron Ekblad back after he served a two-game suspension for a head shot on Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel in the first round.

“I was aiming for his chest and I caught him in the chin,” Ekblad said in his first comments since the incident that knocked Hagel out of the series. “I’m never out to hurt anybody on the ice. It’s unfortunate the way that the outcome happened.”

The 29-year-old Ekblad was selected No. 1 overall at the 2014 draft had recently returned after getting suspended 20 games for violating league policy on performance-enhancing drugs. Ekblad returned for Game 3 of the Tampa series before the Hagel incident in Game 4.

“Whirlwind of a season,” he said. “It’s not the way I scripted it, but we’re here now.”

AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Toronto Maple Leafs' Mitch Marner (16) celebrates with goaltender Joseph Woll (60) after defeating the Florida Panthers in NHL playoff hockey action in Toronto on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll (60) looks through Florida Panthers' Carter Verhaeghe (23) and Matthew Tkachuk (19) during second period NHL playoff hockey action in Toronto on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll (60) makes a save against Florida Panthers' Sam Bennett (9) during the third period of an NHL hockey playoff game in Toronto on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll (60) makes a save on Florida Panthers' Mackie Samoskevich (25) during third period NHL playoff hockey action in Toronto on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll (60), Maple Leafs defenseman Jake McCabe (22) and Florida Panthers forward Anton Lundell (15) watch the puck go into the net as the Panthers score during the third period of Game 1 in an NHL hockey second-round playoff series in Toronto, Monday, May 5, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll (60) makes a save against Florida Panthers forward Aleksander Barkov (16) during the third period of Game 1 in an NHL hockey second-round playoff series in Toronto, Monday, May 5, 2025. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll watches the puck go into the net as the Florida Panthers score during the third period of Game 1 in an NHL hockey second-round playoff series in Toronto, Monday, May 5, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll, front right, makes a save against Florida Panthers forward Sam Reinhart, left, during the third period of Game 1 in an NHL hockey second-round playoff series in Toronto, Monday, May 5, 2025. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — England ended an 18-match winless streak in Australia and beat the home side by four wickets in the fourth Ashes test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday.

England lost each of the first three tests to allow Australia to retain the Ashes in just 11 days of on-field action at Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide.

But England returned the favor by winning the MCG test Saturday inside two days, similar to Australia's opening win at Perth.

It was the first time the same series has had multiple two-day tests in 129 years.

The England winless streak had dated to the 2013-14 Ashes series, which Australia won 5-0. Since England convincingly won the 2010-11 Ashes 3-1, England had lost 16 matches and drawn the other two of their 18 tests Down Under over a period of nearly 15 years.

Needing 175 second-innings runs to win and 98 after the tea break, England reached its target at 178-6 to clinch the match and send thousands of its long-suffering but faithful “Barmy Army” fans into frenzied celebration.

England raced to 70-2 off the first 10 overs in its second innings, losing the wickets of Ben Duckett (34) and Brydon Carse (6). Scott Boland removed Zak Crawley (37) and Jacob Bethell (40), who both made valuable contributions.

Joe Root (15) and captain Ben Stokes (2) fell cheaply before Jamie Smith and Harry Brook guided the visiting side to a morale-boosting win ahead of the fifth and final test beginning Jan. 4 in Sydney.

Earlier Saturday, England bowled out Australia out for 132 in its second innings after lunch on Day 2. On an MCG pitch offering substantial sideways movement for pace bowlers, England successfully chased down a target of 175 to win after 30 wickets had fallen in 4 1-2 sessions.

The dismissal of opener Travis Head (46) was quickly followed by the departures of Usman Khawaja (0) and Alex Carey (4) in the next two overs as Australia slumped from 82-3 to 88-6 in the morning session.

Ben Stokes (3-24) claimed the important wicket of Cameron Green (19) after lunch, caught at second slip, and Brydon Carse sliced through the tail to finish with 4-34.

Australia held an overall lead of 46 Friday after scoring 152, running through England for 110 in a dramatic first day

Josh Tongue, named player of the match, claimed a career-best 5-45 to lead England’s bowling attack Friday before Michael Neser grabbed 4-45 for Australia.

Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg said Saturday “short tests are bad for business," and said CA would consider a closer role in pitch preparation in the future.

“Historically we have taken a hands-off approach in all of our wicket preparation and allowed the staff and the conditions and those characteristics to be presented,” Greenberg told SEN Radio. ”But it’s hard not to get more involved when you see the impact on the sport, particularly commercially."

The attendance at the MCG on Saturday was 92,045, the second-highest test crowd in Australia, only behind Friday's opening-day crowd of 94,199.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

Fans celebrate England's win over Australia on Day 2 of their Ashes cricket test match in Melbourne, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)

Fans celebrate England's win over Australia on Day 2 of their Ashes cricket test match in Melbourne, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)

England's Jamie Smith, left, Ben Stokes, second left, Harry Brook andJoe Root, right, shake hands after defeating Australia on Day 2 of their Ashes cricket test match in Melbourne, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)

England's Ben Stokes applauds the crowd after England defeated Australia on Day 2 of their Ashes cricket test match in Melbourne, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)

Australia's Scott Boland, center, successfully appeals for a LBW decision on England's Zak Crawley, right, on Day 2 of their Ashes cricket test match in Melbourne, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)

England's Joe Root bats against Australia on Day 2 of their Ashes cricket test match in Melbourne, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)

England's Jamie Smith, left and Harry Brook touch bats near the end of their Ashes cricket test match against Australia in Melbourne, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)

England's Brydon Carse, left, grabs the ball for a caught and bowled on Australia's Michael Neser, right, on Day 2 of their Ashes cricket test match in Melbourne, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)

Australia's Steve Smith watches the ball while batting against England on Day 2 of their Ashes cricket test match in Melbourne, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)

England's Ben Duckett bats against Australia on Day 2 of their Ashes cricket test match in Melbourne, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)

England's Ben Stokes, right, celebrates with teammates after taking Australia's final wicket of their second innings on Day 2 of their Ashes cricket test match in Melbourne, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)

England's Brydon Carse celebrates the wicket of Australia's Mitchell Starc on Day 2 of their Ashes cricket test match in Melbourne, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)

Fans of the England cricket team, known as the Barmy Army, wave flags on Day 2 of the Ashes cricket test match between Australia and England in Melbourne, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)

Australia's Jake Weatherald his bowled by England's Ben Stokes on Day 2 of their Ashes cricket test match in Melbourne, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)

England's Josh Tongue, second left, celebrates with teammates after the wicket of Australia Usman Khawaja on Day 2 of their Ashes cricket test match in Melbourne, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)

Australia's Travis Head walks off after he is bowled by England's Brydon Carse on Day 2 of their Ashes cricket test match in Melbourne, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)

England's Josh Tongue, right, celebrates with teammate Jacob Bethell after the wicket of Australia Usman Khawaja on Day 2 of their Ashes cricket test match in Melbourne, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)