The Battle of Ontario isn’t over just yet.
It was another nail-biter Saturday night as the Ottawa Senators beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3 in overtime to avoid the series sweep. It’s certainly one the Leafs would like to have back, after they failed to capitalize on a four-minute power play in overtime, where just one goal would have sent them through to the second round.
And while some saw that big penalty kill as a boost for the Senators en route to their game-winner, head coach Travis Green said after the game that really they were just thankful to get through it.
“I don’t know if it was a boost, but relief,” Green said, speaking after Saturday night’s contest. “Anytime a team like Toronto gets a four-minute power play, you know you’re in one, especially with how good their power play is. A lot of credit to our penalty kill tonight, they really got the job done. Gutsy effort.”
Gutsy effort indeed, with the Leafs getting their fair share of looks on the man advantage, but unable to put it to bed. And regardless of what Green says, there’s no doubt it swung some momentum Ottawa’s way, even if just in rallying their home crowd behind them.
This Battle of Ontario was also anticipated to be a battle of the goaltenders with Vezina-winning netminder Linus Ullmark taking on the red-hot Anthony Stolarz. Through the first three games though, Stolarz had Ullmark bested, with only two goals allowed per game compared to Ullmark’s 12 total. Saturday night was the first game that Ullmark’s stat line shined above Stolarz’s, finishing with a .912 SV% compared to the Toronto netminder’s .810. After the game, Ottawa’s coach gave props to his goaltender, throwing a little shade at his critics in the process.
“Really happy for him,” Green said. “I thought Linus really showed what he’s all about tonight. There’s been a lot of talk about him in the series, a lot of doubters, you know, even in this room. And man, he looked like a guy that has won a Vezina, that we can win with, and the pressure was not a big deal for him. He stood very tall for us.”
Ullmark certainly played well, but with a number of other defensive factors in play, he’ll need to be in peak form to continue to shut down Toronto’s offence, and shut down the narrative created from his own past playoff record.
With one win to their name, the Senators still have a big challenge ahead of them in reversing the 3-1 deficit. For now, Green said they’ll just keep taking it one game at a time.
“Could we be sitting here in a different position? Yeah we could be, and our guys know that,” Green said. “But they’re not gonna go away. You know what, go win another game, and see what happens.”
With the series headed back to Toronto, it’s now up to the Leafs to come out strong and quell Ottawa’s comeback before they get a chance to take it any further. Game 5 kicks off at 7pm Monday night from Scotiabank Arena.
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