Stolarz entered Friday's contest in relief of Sergei Bobrovsky, saving nine of 10 shots (.900 SV%) in an eventual 6-4 loss to the Minnesota Wild, and will return to the crease on Monday night. Stolarz allowed five goals in his last start, a disappointing 5-4 loss to his former club, the Anaheim Ducks, but has otherwise been solid when called upon this season, posting a 2.22 GAA and .912 SV% in 13 games (6-4-2). The Panthers, losers of four straight, are -126 road favourites against a Nashville Predators team that has won three of their last five (3-2-0).
Anthony Stolarz News
Stolarz will start for the Panthers in a battle of backups as the St. Louis Blues will turn to Joel Hofer between the pipes. The Panthers are among the league's hottest teams, riding a season-best seven-game winning streak, and are -185 road favourites against a Blues club that has scored only three combined goals over their last two games despite winning both contests. Stolarz last played on December 20th, saving 18 of 19 shots (.947 SV%) in a 4-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens and has allowed fewer than three goals in each of his last three stars (2-1-0).
Stolarz will start for the third time this month and look for his second consecutive victory, building off a 17-save performance (.895 SV%) in a 5-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on December 10th. The 29-year-old netminder has played well when called upon this season, posting a 2.19 GAA and .914 SV% through eight games (4-2-1). The Panthers are -117 road favourites on Monday against the Calgary Flames, who have lost four of their last five (1-2-2) and will welcome back their starting goalie, Jacob Markstrom.
Anthony Stolarz will draw his first start in five games with Florida on the second half of their back-to-back Tuesday and will take on Toronto on the road. The 29-year-old has excelled in his first season backing up in Florida, with his impressive 3-1-0 record, 2.28 GAA and .917 SV%. He will take on the Toronto Maple Leafs, who have lost two-straight contests and are ninth in the NHL in goals per game (3.42).
Stolarz allowed three goals on 22 shots in the Panthers' win in San Jose on Tuesday. Stolarz has had very easy matchups so far this season, facing the Sharks twice and the Blackhawks once, and he's gone 2-1-0 with an .892 SV%. You'd certainly expect him to have better numbers, but he draws another strong matchup tonight vs. his former team, the Ducks, who will be without Trevor Zegras and Leo Carlsson.
Stolarz will likely start for the first time since November 4th when he allowed four goals on 24 shots (.833 SV%) in a 5-2 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. In two games this season (1-1-0), Stolarz has a 2.57 GAA and .904 SV% and will look to build on those totals against the league-wost offence of the San Jose Sharks (1.20 GF / GP). The Sharks have already been shut out three times this season, held to fewer than two goals an alarming 12 times in only 15 games (2-12-1). As such, the Panthers enter action as -282 road favourites against the Sharks.
Stolarz will likely start for the first time since November 4th when he allowed four goals on 24 shots (.833 SV%) in a 5-2 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. In two games this season (1-1-0), Stolarz has a 2.57 GAA and .904 SV% and will look to build on those totals against the league-wost offence of the San Jose Sharks (1.20 GF / GP). The Sharks have already been shut out three times this season, held to fewer than two goals an alarming 12 times in only 15 games (2-12-1). As such, the Panthers enter action as -282 road favourites against the Sharks.
Stolarz last played four games ago for Florida and stopped 27 of 28 shots (.964 SV%) in a win in his only start of the season but will take the crease Saturday vs. Chicago. The 29-year-old has an impressive career .912 SV% and 2.90 GAA through 82 games played and will be looking to add to that Saturday. He takes on the the struggling Chicago Blackhawks, who have lost four of their last five games and are 30th in shots per game (26.3) and 29th in goals per game (2.11).
Stolarz will make his season debut on Tuesday and start his first as a Florida Panther. Stolarz spent last season as the backup goalie for the Anaheim Ducks, where he had 19 appearances (5-6-0) and posted a 3.66 GAA and .899 SV%. The Panthers rank 20th defensively at the moment (3.40 GA/GP), which is a slight improvement over what Stolarz was exposed to as a Duck last season (4.09 GA/GP). The Panthers will face off against the Sharks, who rank second-worst in the league offensively, averaging a miniscule 1.40 goals per game through five contests (0-4-1).
Stolarz was 5-6-0 with a .899 SV% and 3.73 GAA through 19 games with Anaheim in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year, $1.1 million deal with the Florida Panthers. The 29-year-old goaltender was a second-round pick in 2012 (45th overall) and has a career record of 27-24-7 with a 2.93 GAA and .912 SV% throughout 81 NHL games.
Stolarz reportedly remained in Anaheim while the team debarked for Florida over the weekend. Stolarz will miss at least the next four games, so look for Lukas Dostal to get some looks when John Gibson is given the night off on the trip.
Stolarz has a 5-6-0 record, 3.73 GAA and .897 SV% but is now considered day-to-day as he deals with a lower-body injury. Olle Erikkson Ek has been recalled from the San Diego Gulls (AHL) in his absence.