Mitch Marner had a aim and two assists because the Toronto Maple Leafs dumped the Ottawa Senators 6-2 to take Sport 1 of their first-round playoff sequence Sunday.
William Nylander and John Tavares, with a aim and an help every, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Morgan Rielly and Matthew Knies additionally scored for Toronto. Anthony Stolarz made 31 saves. Auston Matthews had two assists.
Drake Batherson and Ridly Greig replied for Ottawa, which received 18 stops from Linus Ullmark.
The perfect-of-seven matchup continues Tuesday with Sport 2 at Scotiabank Enviornment earlier than shifting to the nation’s capital.
The sequence opener marked the primary playoff Battle of Ontario showdown in precisely 21 years when Toronto bested Ottawa 4-1 in Sport 7 on April 20, 2004.
The groups went in reverse instructions after that, with Ottawa having fun with a future of success, together with a visit to the 2007 Stanley Cup last, whereas Toronto made the post-season simply as soon as between 2006 and 2016.
The Leafs, who downed the Senators 4 occasions within the playoffs throughout a five-year stretch within the early 2000s, returned to the NHL’s spring dance in 2017 — the final time the Senators made the post-season — with a younger core led by Matthews, Marner and Nylander.
The Senators’ rebuild, in the meantime, took lots longer than anticipated however lastly gained traction in 2024-25. Ottawa captain Brady Tkachuk made his playoff debut Sunday in his seventh marketing campaign.
Toronto, which has one sequence victory in 9 tries within the Matthews-Marner period, opened the scoring at 7:09 of the primary interval when Ekman-Larsson fired previous Ullmark’s glove to ignite the rink and ship followers gathered open air in Maple Leaf Sq. right into a frenzy.
Senators defenceman Jake Sanderson cleared a puck off his aim line later within the interval, however Marner took a stretch move from Matthews moments later and roofed a shot at 12:18 for a 2-0 lead.
Ottawa received on the board precisely 4 minutes later when Batherson was quickest to a rebound Stolarz was unable to smother.
The Leafs goaltender stopped Tkachuk on a breakaway early within the second earlier than the Leafs’ energy play when to work when Tavares collected his personal rebound at 4:07 to make it 3-1.
The Senators received in additional penalty hassle later within the interval, and Toronto struck three seconds right into a two-man benefit when Nylander ripped his group’s fourth aim on simply 10 photographs at 7:19.
Fabian Zetterlund had an amazing alternative on an Ottawa energy play late within the interval, however Stolarz was there to maintain the rating at 4-1 by means of 40 minutes.
Greig received the Senators again inside two precisely 4 minutes into the third on a delayed penalty, however Rielly made it 5-2 simply 45 seconds in a while a shot that hit a Senators participant in entrance.
Knies rounded out the scoring on one other energy play at 13:13 to place a bow on a formidable Sport 1 efficiency from the Atlantic Division winners.
Totally different perspective, maintaining focus
Leafs defenceman Brandon Carlo’s solely up-close expertise with Toronto head coach Craig Berube earlier than being acquired forward of the NHL commerce deadline from Boston was watching the veteran bench boss elevate the Cup when his St. Louis Blues beat the Bruins in Sport 7 in 2019.
“I solely had that picture of him in TD Backyard beating us,” Carlo stated. “However there is a motive why that occurred, and I feel he is an enormous a part of it. I’ve cherished his teaching and simply the best way that he’s so relatable.”
Each playoff matchup is below a microscope. The Battle of Ontario is a distinct animal.
“There’s strain,” stated Ottawa head coach Travis Inexperienced, whose enjoying profession included a stint with the Leafs within the early 2000s. “Particularly on this sequence, there’s exterior strain, there’s exterior noise. I keep in mind it from enjoying right here how a lot strain there may be, however that is the thrilling half.”
“It was enjoyable — a number of enjoyable,” he added. “Hopefully it is enjoyable once more.”
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