Mar 2, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs center Max Domi (11) watches for the puck drop on a face-off against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the third period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn ImagesThe Toronto Maple Leafs had an opportunity to close out their first-round series against the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night. Instead, a lack of discipline was a key factor that cost them in a 4-3 overtime loss.
Toronto handed Ottawa four power-play opportunities compared to just two of their own. While both teams scored once on the man advantage, the Leafs squandered a golden opportunity in overtime with a four-minute power play.
However, the first momentum swing came early, following a costly penalty by Max Domi. Midway through the first period, during a faceoff against Shane Pinto, Domi used the butt end of his stick to hit Pinto in the face. The puck had not yet been dropped, and as Pinto leaned in anticipating it, Domi let his emotions get the best of him, retaliating by clipping him in frustration.
The 30-year-old was assessed a roughing penalty at 7:59 of the first period. Less than two minutes later, Tim Stutzle capitalized on the power play, recording his first career playoff goal and giving Ottawa a 1-0 lead. It marked the second consecutive game in which the Senators opened the scoring on the man advantage — a not-so-good trend for the Leafs.
Following the Game 4 loss, Leafs head coach Craig Berube voiced his displeasure when asked about the Domi penalty during his Sunday media availability.
“Yeah, it's not a good penalty. He knows that,” Berube said. “His emotions got a little too high there and involved. And, yeah, that's one of the penalties that he knows he can't take and our team doesn't want to take.”
The bench boss had emphasized discipline before Game 4, acknowledging that staying out of post-whistle scrums and maintaining composure were critical elements to playoff success – as he’s harped on all series long.
“It's just understanding that the scrums and all that – don't react to it,” Berube said pre-game on Saturday. “Play hard between the whistles. I get there's desperation plays sometimes and take penalties, and that's going to happen in the game. But it's the other stuff you want to be really good at, having composure and initiating as much as you can. You've got to stay out of it as best you can. I don't have an answer for it. I mean, it's just the understanding of it,” said Berube before Game 4.
When push came to shove, the Maple Leafs couldn't overcome their early mistakes. Though they battled back down 2-0 and 3-2 in the game, the Leafs dropped Game 4 in overtime by a 4-3 score. The Domi penalty could have easily been avoided had he controlled his emotions, helping the Leafs earn a victory and advance to the second round. Instead, it allowed Ottawa to grab momentum and put Toronto on its heels early as the first domino to fall.
In the Stanley Cup Playoffs, mistakes need to be limited to have any version of success. The penalty was a mistake and not a good infraction to take early in the first period on the road in a series-clinching game. It’s an area the club will need to clean up moving forward, beginning in Game 5 at Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday.
