Anthony Stolarz left Wednesday night’s game against the Washington Capitals after suffering a lower-body injury in the first period. The Leafs goalie required help leaving the ice after flexing his leg to make a pad save just two minutes and 34 seconds into the first period.
“It was kind of scary to see him go down like that,” said goalie Joseph Woll, who replaced Stolarz and took the loss as Toronto fell 4-0. “He’s a pretty tough dude so he goes down, it’s tough to see.”
Toronto only has four games remaining, but coach Craig Berube refused to rule out Stolarz for the rest of the season.
“I don’t know right now,” Berube said. “Gotta get some imaging done.”
Woll checked in on Stolarz after the game.
“Seems like he’s doing alright,” Woll noted. “I don’t know the extent of the injury. It’s not for me to say. But it looked like he was doing a bit better, just disappointed.”
Stolarz, who will start a new four-year contract next season, appeared to be back in a groove lately after missing 33 games earlier in the season with a nerve-related injury. He has posted a .914 save percentage in 11 games since the start of February.
With Stolarz sidelined, the Leafs have called up Artur Akhtyamov, who will make his first career NHL start on Thursday in New York against the Islanders.
“I really liked him right from camp,” said Berube. “He backed up a couple times this year and just has a great personality.”
The 24-year-old Russian made his NHL debut with a relief appearance on Dec. 13, stopping all five shots he faced over 10 minutes and 32 seconds of playing time against the Edmonton Oilers.
Akhtyamov has recorded a .903 save percentage in 36 games with the Toronto Marlies this season and represented the team at the American Hockey League All-Star Game.
“He’s played well down there,” Berube said. “He’s a competitor and he’s really got fast reflexes. He’s competitive as hell, man. I like the kid a lot.”
Why did Akhtyamov, a fourth-round pick in the 2020 draft, get the call over Dennis Hildeby?
“Just want to see him,” Berube said.
Hildeby impressed with a .912 save percentage in 19 games with the Leafs earlier this season, but has struggled to rediscover his top level since returning to the AHL where he owns an .897 save percentage in 20 games.
Hildeby picked up the win for the Marlies in Wednesday’s game against the Utica Comets.
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Winger Dakota Joshua (upper body) and defenceman Brandon Carlo (lower body) also sustained injuries on Wednesday night and will be unavailable for Thursday’s game.
Forward Luke Haymes and defenceman William Villeneuve have been called up from the Marlies. Both players participated in Tuesday’s practice with the Leafs with Berube hinting that they would get a look down the stretch.
“There’s an opportunity to get them in,” Berube said. “Haymes was coming up anyhow and playing tomorrow because [Bo] Groulx will be going down.”
Haymes, 22, and Villeneuve, 24, have never played in the NHL before.
Haymes, who signed with the Leafs out of Dartmouth College last year, has recorded 17 goals and 15 assists in 64 games with the Marlies this season.
“He’s got skill,” said Berube. “He seems like an intelligent player to me. I haven’t watched him a ton down there, but he’s gotten better and better all year, I know that. He plays in all situations down there ... he’s got ability. He’s got skill and he’s got a pretty good mind for the game.”
Villeneuve, a fourth-round pick by the Leafs in the 2020 draft, has recorded 29 points in 59 games.
“He’s definitely gaining more confidence,” Marlies coach John Gruden told TSN this week. “And that’s by being more predictable on his other parts of his game. We know he can make a play. We know he can run a power play, but if he can play 5-on-5 and be predictable and do the little things right to keep the puck out of the net, that gives him the best chance to get that opportunity [in the NHL].”
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If Groulx, 26, plays another game for the Leafs, he will require waivers to return to the AHL. The team does not want to risk losing him and also wants him to be available to the Marlies for the Calder Cup playoffs.
“It’s going to be my first time playing playoffs in pro hockey so very excited for it,” Groulx said. “We have a really good team and a chemistry that people actually want to be there and want to win. We know we can do something special here.”
The Marlies clinched a playoff spot on Wednesday.
