This might be the final game of the Ottawa Senators’ 2024-2025 season as the Sens and Toronto Maple Leafs conclude the two game home stand at the Canadian Tire Centre.
Ottawa has lost all three games so far through the series and only led for about 7 minutes of the 185 minutes played.
The rough housing continues to be the headline in this battle. Yesterday, the league handed down a fine to the Senators and Nick Cousins based on the pre-game antics of the forward shooting the puck on Leafs’ goaltender Anthony Stolarz.
Cousins and Stolarz are embracing the Ontario rivalry despite being cup winners with Florida last season.
The goaltending has been the big trouble in Ottawa as Ullmark has allowed three or more goals in all three games thus far. His new ticket kicks in July 1, and this performance does not match those future earnings. Worse, the offense has been limited to only two goals a game, having matched their foe’s game one output. It has been a nightmare series for Ottawa, but miracles are now needed to come back and pull a full reverse sweep to extend the season.
Projected Lineups
Toronto Maple Leafs
Matthew Knies -- Auston Matthews -- Mitch Marner Pontus Holmberg -- John Tavares -- William Nylander Bobby McMann -- Max Domi -- Nicholas Robertson Steven Lorentz -- Scott Laughton -- Calle Jarnkrok
Morgan Rielly -- Brandon Carlo Jake McCabe -- Chris Tanev Simon Benoit -- Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Anthony Stolarz Joseph Woll
Scratched: None
Injured: Jani Hakanpaa (lower body), Max Pacioretty (undisclosed), David Kampf (upper body)
Ottawa Senators
Brady Tkachuk -- Tim Stutzle -- Claude Giroux David Perron -- Dylan Cozens -- Drake Batherson Ridly Greig -- Shane Pinto -- Michael Amadio Nick Cousins -- Adam Gaudette -- Fabian Zetterlund
Jake Sanderson -- Nick Jensen Thomas Chabot -- Artem Zub Tyler Kleven -- Nikolas Matinpalo
Linus Ullmark Anton Forsberg
Scratched: Dennis Gilbert, Travis Hamonic, Matthew Highmore
Injured: Hayden Hodgson (lower body)
Players to Watch
John Tavares — the first pick from ‘09 has 2 goals and assists against Ottawa so far this series.
Thomas Chabot — only one assist and a team worst -4 in his first career postseason.
Predicted Final Score
TOR — 1
OTT — 2
OT
More to come…