Leafs Send Senators Home Wondering

For the fourth time in as many tries, the Toronto Maple Leafs have ended the Ottawa Senators season, this time with a convincing game seven victory at Air Canada Centre. By now the Senators must be thinking what they must do to beat the Maple Leafs. All the hype going into the game was whether or not Mats Sundin would skate out with his teammates for the biggest game of the season but following the conclusion of the game which was played without Sundin, all the excitement of the Leafs Nation was pouring out onto the streets of downtown Toronto to celebrate the Maple Leafs victory in the Battle of Ontario IV.

The Maple Leafs got off to a great start in the game by putting two goals on the scoreboard by the ten minute mark of the first period. By the time the end of the first arrived, the Leafs had built their lead to 3-0. Ottawa would net a quick goal themselves early in the second period to cut the score to 3-1 but the Leafs defensive attack took over for the rest of the game not allowing the Senators any hope of salvaging the game. Ed Belfour was again spectacular making thirty six saves, many of them coming at key times in the game. Bryan McCabe would at an insurance marker in the third period to give the Leafs a 4-1 victory and thrust them into a second round match up with the daunting Philadelphia Flyers.

All players in tonight’s Leafs’ lineup made a solid contribution to the victory. As a team, the Leafs undisputedly played their best game of the series and again made it very clear why the Senators will never have any postseason success with their current lineup. The Leafs were without their best player in Mats Sundin and Alex Mogilny is in the midst of a heavy slump. The Leafs do not live or die with their marquee players though as the Senators do. In a game where it was clear right from the beginning that the Leafs were not going to get huge performances out of their “goal scorers”, their foot-soldiers and heart and character players took over. The fourth line of Robert Reichel, Tie Domi and Chad Kilger was outstanding producing the Leafs’ first and fourth goals. Joe Nieuwendyk, who is playing like a twenty-five year old, made a huge contribution with two goals. Guys like Reichel, Fitzgerald, Antropov and Ponikarovsky were outstanding on the penalty kill. All the little things from the “lesser known” players allowed the Maple Leafs to jump past a Senators team that still lacks these types of players after having that fact shoved in their face for the last five seasons.

The Maple Leafs will now take on the Philadelphia Flyers in their Eastern Conference Semi Finals matchup beginning on Thursday night