TORONTO – The Ottawa Senators made their first look within the NHL post-season in eight years on Sunday evening.
Their lack of playoff expertise confirmed in a 6-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Enviornment.
Undisciplined play, so-so goaltending and a weak penalty kill all proved pricey within the opener of the best-of-seven first-round playoff sequence.
“We positively have to remain out of the field, I’ll say that,” stated Senators head coach Travis Inexperienced. “On the finish of the sport, typically issues (get) a bit out of hand infrequently. I believed there was a pair calls that they did an excellent job promoting, nevertheless it’s robust on the refs.
“However we are able to’t take that many penalties.”
Netminder Linus Ullmark allowed 4 targets on the primary 10 photographs he confronted, however his teammates provided him little safety.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson and William Nylander scored after being left open within the slot and Mitch Marner tallied on a breakaway. Ullmark did properly to cease a tipped shot by John Tavares however the veteran ahead knocked within the rebound.
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Morgan Rielly and Matthew Knies — the latter on the ability play — added third-period targets to assist put the sport away. Toronto scored on three of six alternatives with the person benefit.
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“We took too many penalties, they scored on (them) and that’s the sport,” stated Ottawa captain Brady Tkachuk. “In order that’s on us. We’ve bought to be extra disciplined.”
Senators ahead Drake Batherson silenced the vocal sellout crowd when he chipped in a rebound at 16:18 of the primary interval to chop Toronto’s result in 2-1. Dylan Cozens shot the puck on web and Batherson took benefit when Toronto netminder Anthony Stolarz couldn’t corral the unfastened puck.
Early within the second interval, Tkachuk was stoned by Stolarz on a breakaway and Shane Pinto was denied on a wonderful likelihood in entrance moments later.
“Well timed saves are large, particularly within the playoffs,” stated Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube. “They go a great distance.”
Tim Stutzle took the primary penalty of the sport with a boarding name and the Maple Leafs scored 9 seconds later. Two minutes after that, Ridly Greig needlessly cross-checked Tavares and Toronto scored once more.
As an alternative of trying to make a push to start out the third interval, Ottawa was saddled with one other penalty after Batherson tripped Nylander with 12.6 seconds left within the second.
The Senators managed to kill the minor and Greig later reduce into the deficit when he scored on a delayed penalty name. However Rielly restored Toronto’s three-goal benefit 45 seconds later.
With Batherson off for a cross-checking penalty, Knies scored to ice it with beneath seven minutes to play.
“I’m not going to say something in regards to the reffing, however calls are calls and that’s the sport,” Batherson stated. “We’ve simply bought to be extra disciplined. We are able to’t give these guys that many seems to be.”
Ottawa outshot Toronto 33-24. The Senators will attempt to even the sequence on Tuesday earlier than internet hosting Sport 3 at Canadian Tire Centre on Thursday and Sport 4 on Saturday.
The Senators, who swept the Maple Leafs of their three regular-season conferences, didn’t open their locker room to media after the sport.
A couple of gamers spoke briefly within the hallway and Inexperienced held an availability within the media centre.
Ottawa (45-30-7) secured the primary wild-card spot within the Japanese Convention with 97 factors. Toronto (52-26-4) took high spot within the Atlantic Division with 108 factors.
This report by The Canadian Press was first printed April 20, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
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