The Battle of Ontario might’ve returned with fanfare, but Game 1 made one thing brutally clear—only one side looked playoff-ready. The Toronto Maple Leafs didn’t just beat the Ottawa Senators—they exposed every inch of their postseason inexperience in a commanding 6-2 win. From undisciplined penalties to defensive breakdowns, Ottawa looked rattled from puck drop.
Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, and John Tavares all delivered on cue. Toronto’s top guns had the scoring touch, but the real difference-maker? That came from a veteran core that’s been here before. Playoff poise, patience, and purpose—that’s what tilted the ice. Because while everyone focused on the ‘Core Four,’ one offseason pickup with a Cup ring quietly reminded everyone what winning hockey actually looks like…
TSN’s Craig Button didn’t mince words when he broke down the Leafs’ Game 1 win on TSN with Jay Onrait. While the top-line talent drew the headlines, Button gave credit where it was due—to the offseason veterans who brought real playoff pedigree to Toronto. His standout? Oliver Ekman-Larsson. “Ekman Larson is calm settled I think going to Florida last year was really something that allowed him to to understand what his game was all about And you know when you’re making all the money he was making all the pressure he was feeling in Vancouver it I think that I’m not going to suggest that he succumb to it but I’m going to say that it weighed on him right And now he goes “Hey wait I can be a good player I know I’m a good player.” He wins the Stanley Cup.” Button said. The pressure cooker of Vancouver wore on him, but the Cup run with the Panthers reminded him who he really was.
The Senators, making their first playoff appearance since 2017, struggled with discipline, racking up 38 penalty minutes. This lack of composure gave the Maple Leafs plenty of power-play opportunities, which they capitalized on by scoring three goals. Ottawa’s inexperience was evident; their inability to maintain discipline and structure allowed Toronto to dominate the game.
Ekman-Larsson—known for being a composed and steady championship-caliber defender—made a significant impact for the Leafs in Game 1. He wasn’t just logging minutes; he was taking control of the game. “He was instrumental, and now that he’s in Toronto, those are the kinds of players who strengthen your lineup and fill key roles,” Button remarked. It was evident why he described him as “instrumental.”Ekman-Larsson opened the scoring early in the first period, setting the tone before the Senators could even get their footing. While Ottawa unraveled under playoff pressure, the Leafs leaned on his poise to steady the blue line.
And he wasn’t alone. Button admitted he “underestimated” how important Toronto’s pickups like Ekman-Larsson and Anthony Stolarz would be. But in Game 1, that veteran experience was the difference. Stolarz turned away 31 of 33 shots in his first-ever playoff start, shutting down elite looks from Brady Tkachuk and Shane Pinto. And when Linus Ullmark collapsed under the weight of six goals, Stolarz stood tall and gave Toronto the edge. The Leafs didn’t just out-talent Ottawa—they out-thought them, out-waited them, and outlasted them. And guys like Ekman-Larsson were at the heart of it.
The Toronto Maple Leafs Turn Up the Heat as the Sens’ Physical Edge Backfires
Post-game, the conversation wasn’t just about the scoreboard—it was about the chaos that came with it. In total, Game 1 saw 52 penalty minutes between the two teams. The Senators, in their first playoff game since 2017, looked more rattled than ready.
John Tavares addressed the intensity head-on: “They call it the Battle of Ontario for a reason.”
Travis Green, meanwhile, took a shot at the officiating, suggesting the Leafs were ‘selling calls.’ But Auston Matthews fired back after practice: “We were hanging onto pucks… I don’t think we were doing anything special to draw penalties.”
The most talked-about moment came in the second period. Ridly Greig cross-checked Tavares in the head and was initially assessed a five-minute major—later reduced to two. Matthew Knies didn’t hold back: “I thought he got him pretty good in the head. Surprised it was a minor.”
It wasn’t just Greig. Adam Gaudette took a senseless penalty that led to a power play goal. Drake Batherson got whistled twice. Ottawa’s parade to the box gifted Toronto over seven minutes of man-advantage time in a single stretch. And the Leafs made them pay.
“They’re trying to prove they can play that gritty playoff style,” said Sportsnet’s Wayne Scanlan. “But they overdid it. That edge became a liability.”
Meanwhile, players like Ekman-Larsson and Stolarz thrived in the chaos. OEL kept the back end clean. Stolarz, in his first playoff start, turned aside 31 of 33 shots—including big saves on Tkachuk and Pinto that kept Ottawa from clawing back in the second.
Craig Berube’s squad didn’t flinch when Ottawa tried to rattle them. They leaned on Cup experience. On discipline. On players who’ve already felt the pressure and come out stronger. If this is the version of the Toronto Maple Leafs we’re getting the rest of the series, Game 1 might’ve been Ottawa’s only shot to steal one. Now, with the Leafs locked in and the Senators still searching for stability, that “veteran edge” could be what ends this series before it really begins.
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