Now that the Toronto Maple Leafs seized the Battle of Ontario, we can get into some first-round superlatives. William Nylander led an authoritative performance from the Core Four in Game 6, scoring twice on his 29th birthday, Max Pacioretty notched the series winner, while Auston Matthews put the Leafs on the board with a well-placed shot in the first period.
The real reward is advancing to the second round, although the defending champion Florida Panthers will pose a very difficult test. That’s tomorrow’s problem! We’re going to hand out a few awards of our own from the Battle of Ontario, as the Ottawa Senators were a difficult out through six games.
Series MVP: Anthony Stolarz
There were several players in consideration for this award, including Nylander and Chris Tanev, who perhaps best embodies Craig Berube’s philosophy on the ice, but this award is going to Anthony Stolarz. Stolarz was outstanding through the Maple Leafs’ first three wins, shook off his two worst games of the series, and was once again stellar in Game 6. The 31-year-old saved 3.1 goals above expected at 5-on-5 via MoneyPuck, and for all the discussion about shot differential, and the quality of shots throughout the series, Stolarz’s steady excellence was the primary reason why the Maple Leafs could afford to win with a counterattacking style.
Stolarz entered the postseason on fire, and he’s provided the Leafs with a level of superior goaltending they haven’t received during the Auston Matthews-Mitch Marner era. Joseph Woll is an outstanding backup option during the playoffs, but it’s Stolarz’s crease until proven otherwise, and he was terrific in round one.
Goal of the series: Max Domi’s Game 2 overtime winner
Once again, there were several candidates for this superlative. Simon Benoit’s point shot that eluded Linus Ullmark in Game 3 was in contention. Mitch Marner’s quick-strike assist to set up Auston Matthews in Game 3 can certainly go into the Art Gallery of Ontario. Given the context of the series, and what was at stake, we’re giving this one to Max Domi’s overtime winner in Game 2.
Benoit picked off an errant pass from Drake Batherson and raced up the ice, before dropping the puck to Domi, continuing his drive to the net. Domi then created some magic, cutting around Batherson and Dylan Cozens, before pinging a shot off the post and in, to give the Leafs a 2-0 lead. It was Domi’s finest moment with the Maple Leafs, and it changed the tenor of the series entirely — it’s difficult to imagine how the series may have played out, entering Kanata tied up at a game apiece.
MAX DOMI IS A TORONTO MAPLE LEAF!!!!!!!
🎥: Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/nQWHTEX0FT
— TheLeafsNation (@TLNdc) April 23, 2025
Best adjustment: Pacioretty joins the Tavares-Nylander line
Craig Berube thoroughly out-coached Travis Green throughout the series, in part due to his ability to make clever adjustments throughout the series. He may have saved his best amendment for last. Max Pacioretty was bumped up to the second line for Game 6, alongside John Tavares and William Nylander. There were some skeptics, myself included, but Pacioretty-Tavares-Nylander was the Maple Leafs’ third-most commonly-used unit at 5-on-5 during the regular season and continuity certainly mattered.
Pacioretty was reinserted into the lineup for Game 3, taking Nick Robertson’s place. His physicality and positional versatility were certainly valued by Berube. But for large stretches of Game 6, it appeared that Berube’s affinity for Pacioretty may have been at the team’s detriment. Berube put the lines into a blender again, and it paid off. Pacioretty was paired with Max Domi and Pontus Holmberg, and after Domi emerged from a board battle with the puck, the veteran forward fired home the series winner, eluding Linus Ullmark from the inner slot.
It’ll be compelling to see whether Berube places Pacioretty on the second line to start against a physical Panthers side, that will try to intimidate the Maple Leafs during every shift. Pacioretty’s flexibility worked for the Leafs at the right time, and he scored arguably the biggest goal of his decorated career in the process.
Unsung hero: Simon Benoit
Simon Benoit’s game reached an inflection point in March, and he’s never looked back since. You need unsung heroes and depth performances to make a sustained playoff run. Benoit played the best hockey of his career throughout the series, and showed up time and again throughout the series.
We already went over Benoit’s contributions in the ‘best goal’ section, but his rush up the ice to set up Max Domi’s overtime winner in Game 2 was arguably the turning point. Benoit entered the series as Toronto’s sixth defenceman, and aside from Chris Tanev, you could make an argument that he was his team’s best defenceman against Ottawa.
Benoit’s overtime winner in Game 3 may have propelled him into household name status in parts of the Greater Toronto Area. He deflated an electric crowd at the Canadian Tire Centre, and he upped his game once again with an excellent performance in Game 6. It didn’t show up on the scoresheet but Benoit cut off Senators forwards at the point of attack without giving up position. Benoit is in the form of his life, and if he continues to play like this, it will go a long way against the defending champs.