Maple Leafs’ Schenn: ‘We’ll see what the response is’ to Bennett following Knies injury

© Provided by Toronto Sun Tanner Jeannot #84 of the Tampa Bay Lightning drops the gloves against Luke Schenn #2 of the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game Two of the First Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on April 20, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs won 7-2. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)

There was no hard promise of retribution from the Maple Leafs toward Sam Bennett.  

Still, the Leafs aren’t thrilled with the manner in which the Florida Panthers forward caused injury to Leafs rookie Matthew Knies in Game 2.

The pair battled behind the Panthers net, with Bennett slamming Knies against the glass and then to the ice. Knies suffered a concussion and is out of the Leafs’ lineup indefinitely. No penalty was called on the play.  

“Well, we’ll see what the response is,” Leafs defenceman Luke Schenn said. “It’s one of those plays I didn’t catch in the heat of the moment, I was not really aware of the whole situation until (looking) at things afterward. We will wait to see how things go (in Game 3 on Sunday).”

Was it tough for Schenn to digest in that it was not really a hockey play? It wasn’t as though Knies had his head down and was caught with an open-ice hit.

“I don’t want to comment too much on it,” Schenn said. “We hope Knies gets back and we’re aware of what happened.”

Said veteran Leafs centre Ryan O’Reilly: “It’s over with, it happened, it’s unfortunate, Knies was playing so good for us. We wish a speedy recovery for him. But I don’t want to go too much into it.”

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