Mitch Marner had a purpose 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 purpose 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 bought 18 stops from Linus Ullmark.
The most effective-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 last, 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.
The Senators’ rebuild, in the meantime, took rather a lot longer than anticipated however lastly gained traction in 2024-25. Ottawa captain Brady Tkachuk made his playoff debut Sunday in his seventh marketing campaign.
Ottawa Senators ahead Ridly Greig scores a purpose on Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz as Simon Benoit tries to defend throughout the third interval. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press)
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 outdoor in Maple Leaf Sq. right into a frenzy.
Senators defenceman Jake Sanderson cleared a puck off his purpose line later within the interval, however Marner took a stretch cross from Matthews moments later and roofed a shot at 12:18 for a 2-0 lead.
Ottawa bought 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.
Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson celebrates a purpose in opposition to the Ottawa Senators within the first interval. (Nick Iwanyshyn/The Canadian Press)
The Senators bought in additional penalty hassle later within the interval, and Toronto struck three seconds right into a two-man benefit when Nylander ripped his crew’s fourth purpose on simply 10 photographs at 7:19.
Fabian Zetterlund had an important alternative on an Ottawa energy play late within the interval, however Stolarz was there to maintain the rating at 4-1 by 40 minutes.
Greig bought the Senators again inside two precisely 4 minutes into the third on a delayed penalty, however Rielly made it 5-2 simply 45 seconds afterward 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 Recreation 1 efficiency from the Atlantic Division winners.
Completely different perspective, holding 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 raise 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 is a motive why that occurred, and I feel he is a giant 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 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’s, however that is the thrilling half.”
“It was enjoyable — lots of enjoyable,” he added. “Hopefully it is enjoyable once more.”
