Anthony Stolarz Confronts Referees with Bold Demand Moments Before Game 3 Puck Drop

With Toronto heading into enemy territory against Ottawa, there was a lot of heat an animosity surrounding the third game of the Battle of Ontario. The Senators kept the Maple Leafs fans at bay, and while the game did go into OT for the second straight game, it was the Leafs who came out victorious.

Taking a 3-0 lead into Game 4 is a fantastic confidence boost, and a lot of the credit once again has to go toward Anthony Stolarz. He was fantastic yet again, and with his third straight playoff win, if he keeps this pace up, Toronto might find themselves in the Eastern Conference Finals, or even better, the Cup Finals.

But Stolarz' performance could have a lot to do with what happened before the puck even dropped, and it all came at the request of the goaltender:

Behave he did, but the fact that Stolarz asked the refs to keep eye on him means that he knows Ottawa wasn't going to play by the rules at any point, although the goaltender made sure to mention that if they were to turn a blind eye to any Senators actions, then it gives him the ability to inflict some damage right back.

He pushed his record to 3-0-0 with a 1.95 GAA and .926 SV% and has undoubtedly been Toronto's best chance at a deep playoff push and his calmness and poise under pressure has been a critical factor in his team's success this season.

With the Maple Leafs heading into Game 4 with the highest stakes thus far, the team is going to need Stolarz to be at his best, and the improvement that the team has made so far this season has made a massive difference, with the goalie but just a part (albeit a big one).

It's unclear how both teams will line up as we go into Game 4 on Saturday night, but the fact remains that if the referees don't have a keen eye, things might get a little hairy.

Which is why you might see Stolarz asking the refs for a bit of assistance once again.