The Toronto Maple Leafs survived the Battle of Ontario and eliminated the Ottawa Senators in six games. Their first-round battle was a classic showdown between two fierce rivals and delivered on all accounts. In the end, it was the more experienced Maple Leafs squad that moved on to the second round following a 4-2 win over the Senators. Veteran winger Max Pacioretty scored the game-winning goal with five minutes remaining in the third period of Game 6.
The Senators gave the Maple Leafs a true run for their money. After Toronto won the first three games of the series, the Sens battled back. Winning two consecutive of their own, they forced the series back to Ottawa for a pivotal Game 6.
The Maple Leafs capitalized on their third attempt at ousting the youthful Senators. Captain Auston Matthews set the tone in the opening period with a power-play goal. Fellow star forward William Nylander pitched in his second and third goals of the series to help eliminate the Senators.
The Senators enter the offseason with optimism. This roster successfully ended one of the longest playoff droughts in the league, and there's potential for even more in the future. With captain Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle, Dylan Cozens, and top defenders in Jake Sanderson and Thomas Chabot, the roster outlook is bright in Ottawa.
The Maple Leafs will face the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers, in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Panthers dispatched the Tampa Bay Lightning, one of the most potent offensive teams in the NHL this year, in just five games. They pose a huge challenge to the Cup-hungry Leafs, setting up another massive showdown among Atlantic Division foes.
The last time these two met in the playoffs, the Panthers dominated the Leafs and won the series in five games en route to the Stanley Cup Finals. The Leafs are hoping to return the favor to the defending champs in their second-round meeting.
This article first appeared on Breakaway on SI and was syndicated with permission.
