The Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators will renew playoff hostilities Sunday — the primary time the provincial rivals have confronted off in a post-season Battle of Ontario in additional than 20 years.
Toronto received all 4 collection performed between the groups from 2000 via 2004, together with two victories in Sport 7.
The Canadian Press takes a take a look at among the key moments from that period:
THOMAS PLAYS HERO
The Leafs and Senators met within the playoffs for the primary time in 2000. Ottawa led 1-0 late in Sport 5 with the collection tied 2-2 when Steve Thomas scored the tying objective within the third interval. The groups performed a back-and-forth extra time that noticed Toronto goaltender Curtis Joseph and Ottawa counterpart Tom Barrasso commerce saves. Joseph was almost responsible of gifting the Senators the winner, however the Leafs broke the opposite method, with Sergei Berezin discovering Thomas on a 2-on-1 to clinch the victory and a 3-2 collection lead. Toronto then fell behind Ottawa 2-0 in Sport 6 solely to attain 4 instances within the second interval — the primary off the stick of Thomas — to clinch the primary playoff Battle of Ontario 4-2.
SUNDIN’S BLAST, CUJO SHINES
The groups met once more the next spring, however not like the earlier collection, the Senators entered as determined favourites coming off a franchise-best 109-point season. The Leafs, who had been 19 factors again within the standings, took the opener 1-0 in OT due to an extra-time blast from captain Mats Sundin and a 36-save efficiency from Joseph. The Toronto netminder then stopped 37 photographs in a 3-0 victory in Sport 2. Ottawa lastly broke via late in Sport 3 to tie that contest 2-2, however Cory Cross fired the OT winner earlier than Toronto accomplished the beautiful sweep in Sport 4.
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The Senators and Leafs tangled for the third straight post-season in 2002 after each superior within the first spherical. Ottawa upset the Philadelphia Flyers in 5, whereas Toronto topped the New York Islanders in seven. The golf equipment break up the primary 4 contests earlier than issues boiled over late in Sport 5. Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson crushed Leafs winger Darcy Tucker from behind — no penalty was known as on the play — after which buried the winner seconds later. Ottawa took an early 2-0 lead in Sport 6 trying to shut out the collection, however Senators defenceman Ricard Persson slammed Leafs powerful man Tie Domi into the boards from behind and was assessed a five-minute main. Toronto scored twice on the following energy play on the way in which to choosing up a 4-3 win earlier than taking Sport 7 at house 3-0.
TUCKER FLIPS
The Leafs antagonist was in the course of the motion once more within the 2002-03 common season in a heated change that noticed him attempt to battle all the Ottawa bench, together with Senators powerful man Chris Neil. Tucker acquired 42 minutes in penalties and was suspended 5 video games, however the groups didn’t meet within the playoffs. The Leafs had been bounced by Philadelphia within the first spherical, whereas the Senators fell to the New Jersey Devils, who went on to win the Stanley Cup, within the Japanese Convention last.
PUBLIC ENEMY NO. 1
Alfredsson was already a goal for Leafs followers after the hit on Tucker when he poured gasoline on the fireplace through the 2003-04 common season. Sundin was suspended one recreation by the NHL for unintentionally throwing his damaged stick into the group. Ottawa occurred to be taking part in in Toronto when Sundin needed to watch, and Alfredsson playfully mocked his Swedish countryman by faux tossing his personal damaged stick earlier than dropping it onto the ice. Alfredsson could be loudly booed each time he touched the puck the remainder of his profession in Toronto for each the Tucker hit and Sundin stick jab.
GAME 7 HEROICS
Toronto and Ottawa performed one other hard-fought collection within the first spherical of the playoffs that spring. The Senators trailed the collection 3-2, however received Sport 6 in double extra time at house to arrange one other winner-take-all finale. Leafs ahead Joe Nieuwendyk scored two mushy targets on Ottawa netminder Patrick Lalime within the first interval of Sport 7 on the way in which to a 4-1 victory that sealed a fourth playoff collection victory in 5 years for Toronto. Lalime would by no means play one other recreation for the Senators, whereas head coach Jacques Martin was fired.
This report by The Canadian Press was first printed April 19, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
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