TORONTO – Mitch Marner had a objective and two assists because the Toronto Maple Leafs dumped the Ottawa Senators 6-2 to take Recreation 1 of their first-round playoff sequence Sunday.
William Nylander and John Tavares, with a objective 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.
One of the best-of-seven matchup continues Tuesday with Recreation 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 Recreation 7 on April 20, 2004.
The groups went in reverse instructions after that, with Ottawa having fun with a long term of success, together with a visit to the 2007 Stanley Cup ultimate, whereas Toronto made the post-season simply as soon as between 2006 and 2016.
The Leafs, who downed the Senators 4 instances 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.
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The Senators’ rebuild, in the meantime, took quite a bit longer than anticipated, however lastly gained traction in 2024-25. Ottawa captain Brady Tkachuk made his playoff debut Sunday in his seventh marketing campaign.
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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 objective 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 bother later within the interval, and Toronto struck three seconds right into a two-man benefit when Nylander ripped his workforce’s fourth objective on simply 10 pictures at 7:19.
Fabian Zetterlund had a terrific alternative on an Ottawa energy play late within the interval, however Stolarz was there to maintain the rating at 4-1 by way 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 powerful Recreation 1 efficiency from the Atlantic Division winners.
DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE
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 Recreation 7 in 2019.
“I solely had that picture of him in TD Backyard beating us,” Carlo mentioned. “However there’s a cause why that occurred, and I feel he’s a giant a part of it. I’ve beloved his teaching and simply the way in which that he’s so relatable.”
KEEPING FOCUS
Each playoff matchup is underneath a microscope. The Battle of Ontario is a distinct animal.
“There’s stress,” mentioned Ottawa head coach Travis Inexperienced, whose taking part in profession included a stint with the Leafs within the early 2000s. “Particularly on this sequence, there’s exterior stress, there’s exterior noise. I keep in mind it from taking part in right here how a lot stress there may be, however that’s the thrilling half.”
“It was enjoyable — a variety of enjoyable,” he added. “Hopefully it’s enjoyable once more.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first printed April 20, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
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