OTTAWA – The Ottawa Senators confronted a heartbreaking finish to their season as they fell 4-2 to the Toronto Maple Leafs in Recreation 6 of their first-round playoff sequence on Thursday night time, Might 1, 2025, on the Canadian Tire Centre. The defeat marked the tip of the Senators’ marketing campaign and allowed the Maple Leafs to win the sequence 4-2.
The Senators, who had been making an attempt to drag off a exceptional comeback after trailing the sequence 3-0, have been unable to push the sequence to a decisive Recreation 7. The loss got here in entrance of a raucous crowd of 19,007 followers, who had hoped to witness a storybook ending to the Senators’ first playoff look since 2017.
Max Pacioretty scored the game-winning purpose with simply 5:41 remaining within the third interval, whereas William Nylander sealed the victory with an empty-net purpose shortly after. The Senators had fought valiantly, with captain Brady Tkachuk scoring within the second interval and David Perron tying the sport at two within the third.
“It’s devastating,” Tkachuk stated, his voice cracking with emotion. “I actually believed. It’s a troublesome tablet to swallow proper now.” Tkachuk, who had performed 512 regular-season video games earlier than lastly experiencing the playoffs, expressed his deep disappointment but additionally famous the character displayed by his staff all through the sequence.
“I imply simply the character now we have on this room, at the beginning,” he continued. “I knew all of it alongside, however to battle again, and even battle again on this recreation. It’s powerful to swallow however on the finish of the day to see this metropolis, see this fan base, I actually needed to do it for them.”
The sport began with the Maple Leafs taking an early lead when Auston Matthews scored a power-play purpose with simply 1:10 left within the first interval. The Senators struggled to seek out their rhythm early, managing solely three photographs within the opening body. Toronto’s dominance continued as Nylander doubled the lead simply 43 seconds into the second interval.
Nonetheless, the Senators refused to again down. Tkachuk introduced life again to the rink together with his fourth purpose of the playoffs at 7:28 of the second interval, tipping in a shot from Thomas Chabot to chop the deficit to 2-1. The Senators rallied behind their captain, and the ambiance within the enviornment shifted as followers sensed a possible comeback.
With 7:20 remaining within the third interval, Perron tied the sport at two with a artful backhand shot that banked off Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz. The sector erupted in cheers, and it appeared that momentum had shifted in favor of the house staff.
“We thought we have been bringing it again to Toronto. It hurts,” stated defenceman Thomas Chabot. “There isn’t a different technique to put it. We performed good hockey, we caught to our recreation, and we did what we needed to do.”
Simply when it appeared the Senators had seized management, Pacioretty struck again, scoring the decisive purpose that put the Leafs forward as soon as once more. The vitality within the constructing was palpable, but it surely shortly dissipated because the Senators pulled goaltender Linus Ullmark in a last-ditch effort to tie the sport. Nylander’s empty-net purpose sealed the sequence for Toronto.
“It was tight just about the entire sequence,” Perron stated. “I’m pleased with the fellows, how a lot they’ve grown this yr, even from recreation to recreation. We tried to push this to Recreation 7. It’s powerful.”
This playoff sequence marked the fifth time in franchise historical past that the Senators have been eradicated by the Maple Leafs, with Toronto now boasting a 5-0 all-time document in opposition to Ottawa within the playoffs. The Senators had entered the postseason with low expectations, having not certified since 2017, however their resilience within the sequence confirmed a promising future.
“Everyone gave it their all and put all of it on the market,” Chabot stated. “It sucks proper now however I don’t assume anybody goes dwelling with regrets about how they performed.”
Head coach Travis Inexperienced, in his first season behind the Senators bench, expressed delight in his staff’s efficiency regardless of the disappointing end result. “Nicely, they’re gonna take away so much,” Inexperienced acknowledged. “What playoff hockey’s like, how arduous it’s, how razor skinny the margin is. Each shift, each battle issues, consideration to element however I’m pleased with our group. They performed arduous.”
Because the Senators look forward to the offseason, selections loom relating to participant re-signing, trades, and the draft. The staff has already scheduled two preseason video games in Quebec Metropolis in opposition to the New Jersey Devils and the Montreal Canadiens in September.
Regardless of the loss, there’s a way of optimism surrounding the Senators as they put together for the long run. “Yeah, I imply, I feel it takes will, it takes guts,” Tkachuk mirrored. “Didn’t get the job performed however I feel we’re gonna take these classes and be that significantly better due to it.”
Because the Senators go away the ice for the ultimate time this season, followers gave them a loud ovation, recognizing the trouble and dedication displayed all through the sequence. Tkachuk, the final participant to exit the ice, embodies the spirit of a staff that has confronted challenges head-on and is decided to return stronger subsequent yr.
