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Senators Edge Maple Leafs in Overtime Thriller

OTTAWA – Travis Green found a moment of relief as the scene unfolded—a hard-fought overtime battle culminated in a crucial victory for the Senators.

With the season hanging in the balance, the Senators successfully navigated a tense four-minute power play by the Maple Leafs in overtime, showcasing a determined penalty kill coupled with a stroke of luck. As the clock wound down on Saturday night, Ottawa found its footing, ready for a fight.

It was Jake Sanderson who emerged as the hero, scoring his inaugural playoff goal at 17:42 of overtime. This dramatic strike helped the Senators recover from a daunting blown 2-0 lead, ultimately sealing a 4-3 win against Toronto and keeping their playoff hopes alive in this first-round series.

“The atmosphere was electric,” Sanderson remarked. “It was an incredible experience.”

The 22-year-old defenseman, now in his third NHL season, unleashed a well-placed shot from the side boards through traffic, igniting an enthusiastic response from the towel-waving crowd at Canadian Tire Centre.

“What a clutch goal,” Senators captain Brady Tkachuk commented post-game. “The feeling is indescribable. It all unfolded so quickly. To achieve this in front of our amazing fans, especially given the challenging road ahead, makes it even more special.”

Despite the loss, the Maple Leafs still maintain a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series, with Game 5 set for Tuesday at Scotiabank Arena.

Tim Stutzle, Shane Pinto, and David Perron each chipped in with goals for Ottawa, while Linus Ullmark proved effective in net, making 32 saves. Sanderson also picked up an assist, marking a two-point night.

A trio of goals from John Tavares, Matthew Knies, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson were not enough to secure a win for the Leafs, as Anthony Stolarz faced 18 shots in goal. William Nylander contributed with two assists.

“We need to improve our special teams,” Knies noted. “In overtime, it often comes down to a bounce or an unfortunate goal, and tonight it favored them.”

An uphill battle awaits the Senators, as only four teams in NHL history have come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series: the 1942 Leafs, 1975 New York Islanders, 2010 Philadelphia Flyers, and 2014 Los Angeles Kings.

After opening the series with a 6-2 loss and two consecutive 3-2 overtime defeats, Ottawa faced significant pressure. Tkachuk reflected on this resilience, saying, “It’s easy to crumble under pressure in such circumstances. However, our team’s character and resolve shine through.”

Green’s message to his team was straightforward: don’t play with regrets. “If you don’t win it all and end up losing, play confidently without regrets,” he urged.

The Maple Leafs, riding an eight-game winning streak from the regular season, have historically dominated Ottawa in the playoffs, including a sweep in the opening round back in 2001.

During the pivotal double-minor penalty kill—culminating from a high-stick by Drake Batherson on Chris Tanev—the Senators showed grit, particularly as Austin Matthews hit the post during a tense scramble. “Facing a power play like that from a team such as Toronto is no small feat,” Green admitted. “Hats off to our penalty kill; they executed brilliantly under pressure.”

Perron gave Ottawa a 3-2 lead at 7:32 in the third, courtesy of a fantastic pass from Artem Zub after relentless pressure. The Leafs kept pushing, and Ekman-Larsson scored his second goal with just over five minutes left to tie the game.

In the first period, Ottawa commenced the scoring on a power play at 9:03 after a reckless roughing penalty by Max Domi against Pinto. Stutzle capitalized by scorching a one-timer past Stolarz. While the Leafs found themselves with a power play opportunity later, Pinto managed a short-handed goal, slipping the puck past Mitch Marner and through Stolarz’s five-hole to establish a 2-0 lead.

Toronto responded late in the first, with Tavares redirecting a shot from Nylander to bring the Leafs within one.

Tkachuk nearly increased the lead early in the second with a shot that hit the post before Knies scored for Toronto, leveling the game at 10:12. The period ultimately yielded little from either side, leading to a dramatic third period finale.

“Now we regroup and aim to keep elevating our game,” Perron said. “We need to maintain pressure on them.”

With the series still alive, the Senators have at least a few more days of playoff action ahead.

“Let’s go win another game and see what unfolds,” Green concluded.

Source
globalnews.ca