Technically speaking, it’s the Ottawa Senators who remain on the brink of elimination when they host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday for Game 6 in their Eastern Conference first-round series.
However, it’s safe to say there’s as much pressure on the Maple Leafs, who won the first three games in the best-of-seven series.
Ottawa extended the series thanks to its 4-0 win at Toronto on Tuesday. Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stutzle scored empty-net goals and added two assists apiece. The pair assisted on Thomas Chabot’s second-period goal, and Dylan Cozens added a short-handed tally midway through the third to double the lead.
If they win Game 6, the Senators will look to become the fifth team in NHL history, and first since the 2014 Los Angeles Kings, to win a playoff series after losing the first three games. If that happens, it would also add to the infamous postseason woes of Ontario’s other team.
When having the opportunity to advance to the next round with a win, the Maple Leafs have won just once in their last 14 chances. The franchise has also not won a Game 7 since April 20, 2004, when they beat the Senators 4-1 to win the Battle of Ontario and reach the second round.
The only other time the Maple Leafs advanced in the playoffs since then was in 2023. They won a first-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning before bowing out in the second round.
First-year Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube acknowledged the team’s postseason woes while speaking to reporters Wednesday, but also sought to defuse the situation.
“It gets to the point in the playoffs, where there’s more noise and a lot of past stuff that I hear around here,” he said. “That’s all fine. That’s part of it all. The only pressure they have is from their own teammates, in my opinion.”
Berube added that Toronto will consider making some line changes, but he’s also resistant to making too many adjustments.
The Maple Leafs’ balanced offensive attack has carried over into the postseason. Mitch Marner leads the team with seven points (one goal, six assists), while William Nylander and Auston Matthews have six, each with a goal and five helpers. John Tavares and Matthew Knies have both scored three times.
Toronto has five power-play goals in 16 chances in the series, but has also given up a pair of short-handed markers.
While the Maple Leafs did have a 3-0 series lead, two of those wins came in overtime. Ottawa avoided elimination in Game 4 by winning in the third straight game of the series that went beyond regulation.
Senators goalie Linus Ullmark entered the series with a shaky playoff history. However, after allowing a dozen goals on 65 shots in the first three games, the 2023 Vezina Award-winning netminder has allowed just three of the last 63 shots to get past him. Tuesday’s win was his first postseason shutout.
“You could see his game building as the playoff games went on, much like our team,” Ottawa coach Travis Green said Tuesday. “I felt like he was going to have a great game, and you know, you could see he was feeling more comfortable.”
If Ottawa wins its third straight, Game 7 will be on Saturday in Toronto.
–Field Level Media
