Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk celebrates his teammate's goal as Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz and defenceman Jake McCabe look on during NHL playoff action in Toronto on Tuesday, April 29, 2025.Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press
After the Senators polished off the Maple Leafs 4-0 on Tuesday, Ottawa head coach Travis Green remarked that not many people thought they could win the first-round playoff series.
That was before it started. After they lost the first three games in the best-of-seven matchup they didn’t even appear to have a beggar’s chance.
Now they head home to Ottawa trailing 3-2 and have an opportunity to knot things up on Thursday before fans that will undoubtedly create an ear-splitting din.
“I think our [comfort] level has gotten better,” Green said. “This gives our team belief. I don’t feel our group has felt pressure from the beginning.”
The pressure has always been on Toronto – and is about to ratchet up much more. The Maple Leafs’ lack of success in the postseason could leave room for doubt to creep in.
They have made the playoffs nine straight years and if they win Game 6 or a Game 7 back at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday it will be for only the second time in that span that have advanced to the second round. They are now 1-13 in their last 14 games when their opponent faced elimination.
Thomas Chabot put the Senators ahead in the second period, and they added three goals in the third, the last two empty-netters.
Toronto never really threatened, which is puzzling but then again, it’s not. We’ve seen this before.
In the successive losses its two big guns – Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner have each failed to score. On Thursday they were on the ice every time Ottawa netted the puck.
Linus Ullmark, a dependable and at times brilliant goalie in the regular season, has a checkered history in the playoffs. He allowed 12 goals in the first three games but in the last two has stopped 58 of 61 shots.
“It’s not surprising,” Green said of Ullmark. “We have a lot of confidence in him and he was sharp again tonight.”
Toronto’s Anthony Stolarz had won 11 in a row but in the two defeats now has been scored on six times on 38 attempts.
Toronto can put any thought of a meltdown to rest with a Game 6 win in Ottawa. It’s unlikely to come too easily however.
After a 6-2 blowout in the series opener, the Senators have proven to be up to the task. With a little luck they even could possibly be ahead in the series 3-2.
“It’s great to win the last two games but we have to turn the page and have to do it all over again,” Chabot said.