The Toronto Maple Leafs' season took another tough turn Wednesday night as starting goaltender Anthony Stolarz exited early against the Washington Capitals. The injury occurred in the first period when Stolarz stretched out his left leg to make a pad save on a shot from the Capitals' Cole Hutson.

Immediately after the play, Stolarz collapsed to the ice, removing his mask in clear discomfort before the referees whistled the play dead. The 32-year-old netminder required assistance from a trainer and his teammates to leave the ice, heading down the tunnel and not returning to the game.

This latest setback adds to a frustrating season for Stolarz, who has battled injuries throughout his time in Toronto. He previously missed significant time this fall with an upper-body issue. His 2025-26 campaign now pauses with a record of 10-10-3, a .892 save percentage, and a 3.29 goals-against average.

Joseph Woll stepped in to replace Stolarz for the remainder of the contest. Woll, who now shoulders the load for a Leafs team destined to miss the playoffs for the first time since 2016, holds a 15-14-7 record with a .902 save percentage this season. The team will now await further updates on the severity of Stolarz's lower-body injury.