Penalties and Pressure Doom Senators in Rough Game 1 Loss to Leafs
Man, if you were hoping for a magical return to the playoffs from the Ottawa Senators, Game 1 against the Maple Leafs wasn’t exactly the fairytale beginning. The Senators made their first postseason appearance in eight years Sunday night, and let’s just say—it showed. They got steamrolled 6-2 by a dialed-in Toronto squad that finally delivered the offensive firepower fans have been waiting for, and unfortunately, Ottawa handed them the keys to the kingdom through a parade to the penalty box.
Right off the bat, Ottawa's discipline—or lack of it—set the tone. Tim Stützle took a boarding penalty early, and nine seconds later, the Leafs made them pay. Moments after that, Ridly Greig followed with an unnecessary cross-check on John Tavares, and boom—another Toronto goal. It’s tough enough to win in the playoffs without handing your opponent power plays like Halloween candy, but when you're doing it against a team like Toronto, who were itching to prove their offensive firepower, it’s a recipe for disaster.
Senators coach Travis Green didn’t mince words after the game. “We definitely have to stay out of the box,” he said, noting that while some calls were questionable, Ottawa simply took too many penalties. And he’s right—the Leafs capitalized on three of their six power play opportunities. That’s half. That’s deadly.
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Now, let’s talk about the goaltending. Linus Ullmark had a tough night between the pipes, letting in four goals on just ten shots to start. It wasn’t all on him—the Senators gave up grade-A chances left and right. Marner scored on a breakaway. Nylander was left wide open in the slot. Tavares poked in a rebound right in front. You can’t give guys like that those kinds of looks and expect to walk away unscathed.
Ottawa did have some moments of pushback. Drake Batherson chipped in a goal late in the first period that quieted the crowd a bit, and Greig added another during a delayed penalty in the third. But every time they tried to climb back into it, another penalty or defensive lapse let Toronto pull away. It’s like trying to climb a mountain with ankle weights.
What really stood out, though, was how Toronto’s so-called “Core Four” finally showed up. Marner had a three-point night, Nylander and Tavares each put up a goal and an assist, and Matthews tallied two helpers. After years of underperforming in the playoffs, at least for now, they’ve answered the call.
Ottawa outshot Toronto 33-24, but shots don’t win games—discipline, execution, and composure do. And that's where the Senators faltered.
Game 2 goes down Tuesday, and if Ottawa wants any shot at turning this series around, they’ll need to tighten things up—fast. Less time in the box, more poise under pressure, and way better execution in their own zone. Because if they give Toronto another night like this one, this first-round dream could become a nightmare real quick.
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