The Senators kept their playoff hopes alive with a crucial 5-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs, thrilling a crowd of 17,331 at the Canadian Tire Centre on Saturday night. This win not only marked their second consecutive victory but also improved their season record against their arch-rivals to 2-1-0.
Ridly Greig, Michael Amadio, Warren Foegele, Claude Giroux, and Tim Stutzle found the back of the net for Ottawa, who decisively outshot Toronto 43-14. Stutzle, reflecting on the game, noted, "It was a massive win. We came out hard, and after a shaky first 10 minutes, we settled in."
However, the victory was marred by an injury to defenseman Dennis Gilbert, who exited late in the third period after a hit from Toronto’s Oliver Ekman-Larsson. This could force Ottawa to call up reinforcements from their AHL affiliate in Belleville.
With the Senators five points out of the final wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference, every game is crucial. Coach Travis Green praised the team’s resilience, especially after a choppy first period. "We stuck with it and didn’t change," he said, highlighting the team's improved play in the second period.
Toronto’s Easton Cowan narrowed the gap to 3-2 early in the third, but Amadio’s rebound goal and Greig’s late tally sealed the win for Ottawa. Toronto’s goalie Joseph Woll, thrust into back-to-back action due to an injury to Anthony Stolarz during warmups, faced a challenging night. Stolarz was taken to the hospital as a precaution after a warmup mishap.
Since January 30, the Senators have turned their season around with a 10-3-2 run, positioning themselves as playoff contenders. They led 3-1 heading into the third, having dominated much of the play. Foegele’s goal, his fourth in eight games since joining from the Kings, was quickly followed by a response from Toronto’s John Tavares.
Giroux, who briefly left the game in the first period, returned to score his 12th of the season. "In the first period, they didn’t give us much," he remarked. "We stuck with our game plan and capitalized on our chances."
Despite having two goals called back in the second period, the Senators maintained their composure. Greig’s high stick nullified one goal, and Stutzle’s interference led to another being waved off.
The Leafs, missing key players like Auston Matthews and Morgan Rielly, struggled to keep pace. This matchup was the first in Ottawa since Toronto ousted the Senators from the playoffs last spring, adding extra motivation for Ottawa.
Stutzle opened the scoring with his 32nd of the season on a power play, setting the tone for a determined Senators squad. Defenseman Tyler Kleven, who contributed two assists, summed it up: "We played physical and fast, our style, and wore them down. It was a good win."