Toronto wins Battle of Ontario, now must face the defending champs
TORONTO, May 2, 2025 – For a moment, it felt like déjà vu, last night.
With ghosts of playoffs past creeping into every corner of the Canadian Tire Centre, it looked like the Toronto Maple Leafs were once again flirting with heartbreak. A blown 3-2 series lead. A raucous, red-tinged crowd that sounded more like Toronto than Ottawa. The Core Four back under the microscope, gripping their sticks like it was game seven of their careers, because in many ways, it was.
But this time, something changed.
Under the pressure of another potential first-round collapse, this time against the very green yet relentless Ottawa Senators, the Leafs finally flipped the script. In a game that had everything from nervous energy to signature goals and unsung heroes, Toronto clawed out a gutsy 4-2 win to advance to the second round for just the second time in the salary cap era.
It started with a captain’s moment.
Auston Matthews, with a knuckler on the power play early in the first, silenced the Senators’ crowd and gave Toronto that all-important first goal. It wasn’t pretty. It didn’t have to be. It was a shot that screamed: We’re not done yet.
A Nylander Classic
Then came William Nylander. The winger, often criticized for his cool demeanor, delivered a second-period masterpiece—blowing past a flat-footed Ottawa defense on a two-on-one and rifling the puck glove side. A Nylander classic. 2-0 Leafs. Momentum was theirs.
Toronto, for all its firepower, has spent this season grinding out games, winning battles in the trenches. They played the second half of game seven like a clock-chewing NFL offense—cycling the puck, absorbing hits, bleeding the clock.
Disaster Strikes
And then, just like that, disaster struck. Ottawa tied it.
Leaf Nation collectively held its breath. We’ve seen this movie before.
In a move that seemed minor at the time, head coach Craig Berube shuffled Max Pacioretty down to the third line alongside Max Domi and Pontus Holmberg. Whether to shake things up or spark a matchup advantage, the decision proved decisive.
Domi, relentless behind the net, muscled off his defender and found Pacioretty alone in the slot. The veteran sniper—quiet for much of the season after battling injuries—uncorked a picture-perfect wrist shot past the Ottawa netminder.
A scorer’s goal. The kind you can’t teach.
And just like that, the Leafs had the lead again.
Last Minute of Play
Still, the final minutes weren’t without drama. Ottawa pressed. They pulled their goalie. But this time, Toronto stood tall. Scott Laughton threw his body in front of a point blast, and Nylander finished the job with a sprint and an empty-net dagger.
Game. Set. Series.
Final Thoughts
Berube, in his first postseason behind the Leafs bench, looked every bit the genius. His subtle lineup tweak helped seal a series that once again teetered on the edge of collapse.
Now, the Maple Leafs turn their focus to the Florida Panthers—last year’s Cup champions—in a second-round showdown that begins Monday, May 5 at 8 p.m. at Scotiabank Arena.
For once, Toronto isn’t backing in. They’re kicking down the door – with home ice advantage to boot!
The question now: Can they finally walk through it?
by Myles Shane
lead photo by Toronto Maple Leafs, MLSE
Other articles from totimes.ca – otttimes.ca – mtltimes.ca