The Ottawa Senators beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3 in overtime Saturday night, extending their first-round playoff series to a fifth game.
Defenseman Jake Sanderson scored the game-winner at 17:42 of overtime, firing a wrist shot from the left boards that sailed through traffic and beat goalie Anthony Stolarz in the top right corner.
“Crazy atmosphere,” Sanderson said. “It’s pretty awesome.”
Game 5 is Tuesday night in Toronto.
The Senators avoided elimination after dropping two consecutive 3-2 overtime decisions in Games 2 and 3. Toronto missed its chance to complete its first playoff sweep since eliminating Ottawa in the 2001 first round.
“Our special teams could have been a little bit better,” Knies said. “In overtime, it’s going to be a bounce or a dirty goal. It went their way.”
Ottawa’s penalty kill proved crucial in overtime, successfully defending a four-minute power play after Drake Batherson received a double minor for high-sticking Maple Leafs defenseman Chris Tanev.
“Any time a team like Toronto gets a four-minute power play, you know you’re in one,” Senators coach Travis Green said. “A lot of credit to our penalty kill. They really got the job done. Gutsy effort.”
The teams traded goals throughout regulation. Ottawa built a 2-0 first-period lead on goals by Tim Stutzle on a power play at 9:03 and Shane Pinto with 5:49 remaining in the period.
Toronto captain John Tavares cut the deficit to 2-1 with his third goal of the series, scoring with 55 seconds left in the opening frame.
Matthew Knies tied the game 2-2 midway through the second period, also notching his third goal of the series.
David Perron gave Ottawa a 3-2 lead at 7:32 of the third period. The scoring sequence began when Brady Tkachuk collided with Maple Leafs forward Pontus Holmberg near the Ottawa net, leading to a rush the other way. Artem Zub slipped the puck to Perron, who tapped it past Stolarz.
Toronto defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson forced overtime when he scored with 5:29 left in regulation, converting William Nylander’s cross-ice pass.
“I think, obviously, we had a lot of chances,” Ekman-Larsson said. “We had a power play that we could have done some damage but they killed it off.”
Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark made 31 saves in the victory, while Stolarz stopped 17 shots for Toronto.
The win marks Ottawa’s first playoff victory since the 2017 Eastern Conference final.
Only four NHL teams have ever overcome a 3-0 series deficit: the 1942 Maple Leafs, 1975 New York Islanders, 2010 Philadelphia Flyers and 2014 Los Angeles Kings.
