Last night was the first home playoff game for the Ottawa Senators in seven years. Despite playing a better Game 2, the Senators were trailing 2–0 in the series against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Game three was going to be pivotal in the first Battle of Ontario playoff series in the Matthews era. Either the Senators would be right back in the series, or the Maple Leafs would take a 3–0 series lead and potentially close out the series on Saturday.
With the Senators fans rallying behind their team and trying to prevent Maple Leafs fans from invading the Canadian Tire Centre, the building was electric. Let’s take a look at some of the storylines coming out of last night’s game.
Simon Benoit: The Senator killer
If you told me that Simon Benoit would have one goal and two assists in three playoff games, I would not have believed you. If you told me that Benoit would be at the centre of two overtime playoff goals, I probably would’ve assumed that the Maple Leafs lost both those games (no disrespect to Benoit). However, he was a main contributor to both of the overtime Maple Leafs goals.
In Game 2, Benoit carried the puck from his own end into the Senators zone, forcing the Senators to overcommit to him. He dropped the pass back to Domi, who avoided two Senators and scored the overtime winner.
In last night’s game, Auston Matthews won the face-off back to Benoit, and Benoit ripped an absolute bomb that blew past Linus Ullmark, winning game three for the Maple Leafs. The Maple Leafs now have a 3–0 series lead against the Senators and are looking to complete the sweep on Saturday night.
Battle of the Captains
There has been much anticipation about the battle between the two captains in this series: Auston Matthews and Brady Tkachuk. Both had an excellent game last night. The game was tied 1–1 heading into the third period. Matthews scored his first goal of the playoffs 32 seconds into the third period from a beautiful feed from Mitch Marner to quiet the building. Matthews has scored one goal and four assists so far this series.
However, 11 minutes later, the Senators’ captain, Brady Tkachuk, tied the game at 2–2. Tkachuk was his usual agitator self, drew penalties, and crushed players into the boards, finishing with four hits on the night. In the series, Tkachuk has two goals, a bit quieter than expected. Overall, Matthews has been more of a difference-maker this series than Tkachuk.
Matthews has also been an animal in the face-off dot all series long. The Maple Leafs won 62.7% of the face-offs last night, with Matthews winning 65% of the draws he took. It was only a matter of time before it would haunt the Senators, and it did on Benoit’s overtime goal.
The Maple Leafs look poised
It feels a bit weird to talk about the Maple Leafs’ “experience”, especially when they have eight years of playoff failures up until this point. But under Craig Berube, they look like a completely different team.
The first period went as one would have expected. For the first half of the period, it was all Senators. It was their first playoff home game in seven years, so it was to be expected for them to come shot out of a cannon. They hemmed the Maple Leafs in their own zone and created quality scoring chances. However, to the Maple Leafs’ credit, they battled back. The Maple Leafs tightened up defensively, got some quality scoring chances themselves, and evened up the shots.
Even when the Senators went up 1–0, the game didn’t feel out of reach for the Maple Leafs. The Maple Leafs’ power play came through again, going one for two on the night on a goal by Mathew Knies. Maple Leafs fans must be asking: How in the world did Matthew Knies fall to the Toronto Maple Leafs? The power play has been red hot, scoring five goals in their last three games. This was a weapon that they did not have in the previous playoff series, and it has been a potent weapon so far.
Other than the superstars showing up, the Maple Leafs look different defensively. In Game 2, they sat back in the third period on their two-goal lead. However, they did a good job limiting shots to the perimeter and getting bodies in the slot to block shots. This time, when the Maple Leafs went up 2–1 in the third, they kept pushing for offence. Toronto held the Senators to just two shots in the third period. It is these habits that separate good teams from great teams. And habits that win you championships.
Onto the next
With the Maple Leafs winning in overtime, they have taken a 3–0 series lead against the Senators. Game 4 is on Saturday in Ottawa, where the Maple Leafs can claim a spot in the second round. An elimination game, and the Battle of Ontario on Hockey Night in Canada. What more can you ask for as a hockey fan?
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