After losing 6-2 in Game 1, Game 2 saw a valiant effort by the Ottawa Senators against the Toronto Maple Leafs. After trailing 2-0 after the first period, the Senators scored two goals to force overtime.
In overtime, Max Domi broke Ottawa hearts by scoring the overtime winner to put the Senators in an 0-2 series deficit. To make history feel worse on the Senators' side, never in Senators history have they ever came back to win a playoff series after trailing 0-2.
Game 3 will be immense pressure for the Senators to avoid trailing 0-3 in the series. Puck drop for Game 3 is tomorrow night at 7 p.m. ET at Canadian Tire Centre. With the series shifting to Ottawa, the Senators need to turn their luck around big, but there's two reasons why they are trailing 0-2 in the series.
Two big reasons why Senators are trailing 0-2
Toronto wasn't going to be an easy opponent for Ottawa to defeat. However, Toronto is getting big play in two areas to help them have control of the series right now.
2. Powerplay success
The Maple Leafs have scored nine goals in the two games combined, but the powerplay is where Toronto is shining.
Four of the nine goals for Toronto in the series have come on the powerplay. To make it more strong for the Maple Leafs, they've scored quickly on the powerplay.
All four of the powerplay goals have come under 20 seconds into the powerplay. Last night, John Tavares' powerplay was 18 seconds into the Maple Leafs powerplay after a penalty to Artem Zub in the first period.
The #leafs four power play goals in this series have been scored in 38 total seconds of game time.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) April 23, 2025
- 9 seconds after Stutzle minor
- 3 seconds after Gaudette minor
- 8 seconds after Batherson minor
- 18 seconds after Zub minor
With how quick and efficient Toronto is able to score on its powerplay, Ottawa needs to stay out of the box. However, that is easier said than done against a talented offense.
1. Better goaltending
Even though Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark has won a Vezina Trophy in his career, it isn't scaring Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz. Through two games, Stolarz has answered the call to Ullmark.
Stolarz has stopped 57-of-61 Ottawa shots on goal to help the Maple Leafs win the first two games of the series. Along with making 57 saves combined in the two games, Stolarz has a .934 save percentage and has a 2.00 goals against average.
For Ullmark, he's underperformed big. Ullmark has a 4.39 goals against average through the first two games of the series. Ullmark has stopped 36-of-45 Toronto shots on goal for an .800 save percentage.
While Ullmark was better in Game 2, he allowed in an overtime winner to Max Domi to give the Maple Leafs a 2-0 series lead. Ullmark finsished Game 2 with making 18 saves to the 26 saves Stolarz made.
As the series shifts to Ottawa for Game 3 and Game 4, the Senators will need improvement on the penalty kill and with goaltending. Pressure heading home will be immense trailing 0-2 in the series.