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Maple Leafs Make Strong Statement in Playoff Opener Against Senators
The Toronto Maple Leafs, known for their offensive prowess during the regular season, faced off against the Ottawa Senators in the postseason, an entirely different challenge. Historically, the team’s playoff performances have fallen flat, particularly in spring. Heading into their first playoff game on Sunday, the Leafs had scored two goals or fewer in 13 of their last 14 playoff games, including a disappointing display last year against the Boston Bruins, where they went just 1-for-21 on power plays during their seven-game series loss.
However, in a refreshing turn of events, the Leafs unleashed their offensive potential, securing a resounding 6-2 victory over the Senators. With this win, Toronto took Game 1 of their opening-round series—the first playoff Battle of Ontario in over 20 years.
“We think about winning and moving on,” said Mitch Marner, who contributed significantly with one goal and two assists. “We need to keep our focus on the next game.”
Joining Marner on the scoresheet were William Nylander and John Tavares, each adding a goal and an assist, along with contributions from Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Morgan Rielly, and Matthew Knies. Goalie Anthony Stolarz made 31 critical saves to keep the Senators at bay.
Auston Matthews also had a strong performance, recording two assists in a game marked by physical play. The Senators struggled with discipline, leading to three power play goals for the Leafs—something that hadn’t occurred in the playoffs for Toronto since 1999.
“The intensity was palpable,” noted Tavares, who himself experienced a cross-check to the face from Ridly Greig of the Senators, a penalty that was downgraded from major to minor after a review. “It’s called the Battle of Ontario for a reason; it’s a hard-fought game. But we know we can still improve.”
Toronto’s head coach Craig Berube acknowledged the elevated stakes, stating, “As the playoffs progress, the intensity ramps up. We just need to focus on playing our game.”
The Senators managed to score through Greig and Drake Batherson, but their efforts to capitalize on Toronto’s mistakes were insufficient. “We need to regroup,” said Senators goalie Linus Ullmark, who stopped 18 of 24 shots. “It’s just one game. That’s the beauty of the series.”
Looking Ahead
The best-of-seven series will continue on Tuesday at Scotiabank Arena before transitioning to Ottawa. The opener coincidentally marked exactly 21 years since the two teams last faced each other in the playoffs, when the Leafs triumphed in Game 7 on April 20, 2004.
Since that series, the trajectories of the two franchises diverged significantly. The Senators enjoyed a prolonged period of success, highlighted by their appearance in the 2007 Stanley Cup final, while the Maple Leafs struggled to find their footing for nearly a decade, only returning to postseason play in 2017. The Senators began their rebuilding phase, which has finally begun to yield results this season.
“All season, we’ve emphasized the importance of sticking to our process,” remarked Senators head coach Travis Green. “That mindset remains unchanged.”
In the first period, the Leafs got off to a strong start, with Ekman-Larsson igniting the home crowd with a goal just over seven minutes into the game. “The atmosphere was electric,” said Stolarz after making his first playoff start. “You could feel the energy from the fans, and it really pushed us.”
Follow-up plays saw Marner extend the lead to 2-0 before Batherson answered for Ottawa, putting his team on the board. The Leafs continued to capitalize on their opportunities, with Tavares scoring early in the second period, followed closely by Nylander’s goal during a two-man advantage, extending the lead to 4-1.
Despite a resilient effort from the Senators, including a third-period goal from Greig, the Leafs quickly responded with Rielly’s shot that found its way into the net. Knies capped off the night with another power play goal, underscoring the Maple Leafs’ dominant performance.
In the aftermath of the game, Berube reminded everyone, “It’s just one game. The competition is going to intensify from here.”
Coaching Remarks
When asked about the officiating decisions, specifically regarding Greig’s cross-check on Tavares being reduced to a minor, Berube stated, “That’s not my concern. The referees will make their calls, and we need to focus on our performance.”
Player Reactions
Senators’ captain Brady Tkachuk faced a barrage of jeers from the crowd during the game but shrugged it off, declaring, “I really don’t care. That’s not going to get to me.”
Source
globalnews.ca