OTTAWA – The Ottawa Senators have one regular-season sport remaining, however their sights are firmly set on the upcoming playoffs.
On Tuesday night time, the Senators realized they’ll open the post-season in opposition to their provincial rivals, the Toronto Maple Leafs. Ottawa was 3-0-0 in opposition to Toronto this season.
This marks Ottawa’s first playoff look in eight years and their first post-season showdown with the Leafs since 2004.
Senators head coach Travis Inexperienced is keen for his crew to expertise the depth of playoff hockey and he’s no stranger to the fanfare the provincial battle gives.
Inexperienced was a member of the 2001-02 Leafs crew that beat the Senators in seven video games within the Japanese Convention semifinals.
“Thrilling might be downplaying it slightly bit,” stated Inexperienced. “I feel it’s going to be nice for the province. The Battle of Ontario is well-known and we haven’t been within the playoffs for a very long time and it’s going to be thrilling.”
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Now Inexperienced will get to expertise the rivalry from a distinct vantage level.
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“It received’t be simply the gamers which might be excited,” he stated. “Coaches can be excited, too.”
And this time round he and Daniel Alfredsson, the Senators’ assistant coach, can be on the identical crew. As a participant, Alfredsson by no means skilled beating the Leafs in a playoff collection, which ought to solely add to the crew’s motivation.
“It’s going to be quite a lot of enjoyable,” stated Inexperienced. “It’s going to be an intense collection, quite a lot of feelings, each cities, actually every part you need in a playoff collection and gamers are going to adore it and followers are going to adore it. Trying ahead to it.”
Many of the present roster have been simply youngsters the final time the 2 groups met within the playoffs however they’ve heard in regards to the rivalry and are excited to start out a brand new chapter for a brand new technology.
“It’s superior,” stated Drake Batherson. “I imply, we’d be proud of anybody, however I really feel like everybody needs the Battle of Ontario they usually’re going to get it and it must be an excellent one.”
Brady Tkachuk has missed the final eight video games with an upper-body damage and Inexperienced wouldn’t commit a technique or one other if his captain would play the ultimate sport of the common season on Thursday in opposition to the Carolina Hurricanes.
“We’ll see Thursday,” stated Inexperienced. “We weigh each determination on who’s going to play and who’s not going to play and Brady’s no completely different so we’ll see Thursday if he performs or not.”
Inexperienced stated he had no difficulty if Tkachuk didn’t get a sport in earlier than the opening-round playoff collection begins, which is predicted to be Sunday in Toronto.
The Senators have been giving completely different gamers a sport off in preparation for the post-season battles, however for these nonetheless within the lineup the depth and preparation stay the identical.
“You wish to win all of them,” stated Tim Stutzle. “Like I stated earlier than, we wish to go into the playoffs with an excellent feeling.”
For others the previous few video games have been a chance to get their sport again in control. Nick Cousins missed 30 video games as a result of surgical procedure and was thrilled to have the ability to return to the lineup this previous Sunday and get some sport motion earlier than the playoffs.
This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed April 15, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
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