The Toronto Blue Jays tied the American League Championship Series 2-2 on Thursday night, led by a commanding performance from 41-year-old pitcher Max Scherzer.

Scherzer went viral after the game for a moment in the fifth, where he argued with coach John Schneider to keep him on the mound so he could close out the inning, which he did. It’s just the kind of passion and command that Toronto sports fans have been dying to see from their athletes.

Not dissimilar to the role of a pitcher is that of a goaltender, working to keep the other team’s offence at bay. At morning skate on Friday, Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Anthony Stolarz was asked about the moment between Scherzer and Schneider. While he said the situation differs in hockey when a goalie needs to be pulled, he’s hardly going to argue. He was impressed by the hunger Scherzer showed on the mound.

“You’ve got to applaud his tenacity and his compete in his battle to want to stay out there,” Stolarz said. “There was what, two outs in the fifth there, and he struck him out. So kudos to him. I was a big fan of his when was on the Mets. So hopefully (the Jays) can keep it rolling tonight.”

While the Jays’ painful loss in Game 5 is going to cloud over the interaction, it got enough discussion going to keep it in the headlines. Scherzer is known for talking to himself when he’s on the mound to keep in the zone. While Stolarz said he doesn’t opt for that approach, he shared how he’s vocal with others, both playfully and forcefully, and how it helps him stay focused.

“Just try to stay warm playing the puck, talking to the guys out there,” Stolarz said. “I’m pretty loosey-goosey when I get to the bench, usually talk to Cayden or whatever goalie is there, keep it light. But obviously there’s that intensity and that battle, so sometimes you gotta kinda yell at the guys or get them fired up. For me, I just see how the situation is.”

Stolarz showed that compete on Thursday night, as the Maple Leafs beat the New York Rangers in overtime. Facing a physical team in the Rangers, it’s just the kind of hockey he’s come to expect playing at the highest level.

“I think that’s kind of what teams want to do,” he said. “They want to crash the net, they want to take your eyes away. Obviously if you can’t see the puck, they have a better chance to score, so they’re going to look to throw bodies in front … You see Matt Rempe coming in, and as a goalie you’re just bracing yourself as well as trying to track the puck. So it’s all about compete, it’s about battle and trying to stand your ground.”

Stolarz managed that Thursday night, putting his best performance of the season to date out on the ice.