Maple Leafs Seek Series Win Against Senators in Game 5

TORONTO — The Toronto Maple Leafs will have a pivotal opportunity to advance in the NHL playoffs when they host the Ottawa Senators for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference First Round at Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday.

The game is set to begin at 7 p.m. ET, with the Maple Leafs leading the series 3-1. Ottawa managed to stave off a sweep with a critical 4-3 victory in Game 4 on Saturday, which was decided by an overtime goal at 17:42.

“We’ve got to reset,” said Senators coach Travis Green. “It’s going to be a great atmosphere in this building tonight.” The Senators are aiming for a stronger performance at even strength after struggling in prior games.

The Maple Leafs, who have appeared in the playoffs every year since the 2016-17 season, have only advanced past the first round once since then. Coach Craig Berube emphasized the importance of focusing on their approach rather than the pressure of closing out the series. “We’re not going to sit here and focus on the closeout. We’re going to focus on what we need to do to close it out,” Berube said.

Toronto’s star captain, Auston Matthews, did not practice on Monday but is expected to play in Game 5. Matthews, who logged considerable ice time during Game 4, remarked on the physicality of the playoffs. “It’s that point in the season where it’s hard, physical hockey, so you’re always going to go through different things,” he said.

Meanwhile, Senators defenseman Green acknowledged the difficulty of containing Matthews. “It’s not easy. One of the best players in the world…they’re going to get goals, they’re going to get points. I’ll say we’ve done an OK job and he’s still a real effective player in the series,” Green stated.

The Senators plan to use the same lineup as Game 4, where they succeeded in the special teams battle, marking their first game without allowing a power-play goal this series. They also managed to block more shots than the Maple Leafs for the first time in the playoffs.

In contrast, the Maple Leafs are sticking with their successful setup, having won both their home playoff games thus far. They look to secure their first playoff series win at home since 2004. Since 2017, Matthews and the team have struggled in scenarios where they could eliminate a rival, going 1-12 in such opportunities.

The Maple Leafs hold an advantage in even strength scoring with a 10-5 lead over the Senators. However, Ottawa’s intense physical play has them ranked second in hits during the playoffs. As this series unfolds, both teams will aim for an essential win to either advance or force a Game 6.