Maple Leafs Move On To The Second Round, Closing Out Senators In 6 Games Maple Leafs recover in series, and in game, to dismiss Senators in six games and move to second round

The past demons of the Blue-and-white would not strike again, as the Maple Leafs would be able to hold on and take a first-round series win against the Ottawa Senators in game 6.

Coming into the Thursday night tilt, all the pressure had been put on Toronto as the Sens had found a way to win two straight making the series closer than many expected after the results of the first three games. 

Toronto knew what they had to do to close this series out but with the Senators once again fighting for their season, fans tunning in would be watching a good one. 

With the Senators being at home, the Canadian Tre Center was rocking early with black and red fans waiving their rally towels with new life after winning games 4 and 6. 

In the first period of play, both teams showed their willingness to break the ice first, but defense came into play early.

After a failed attempt by the Sens to get on the board with a power play, It wouldn’t be until close to the end of the first when the Leafs would be awarded a powerplay where the scoring would start. 

With a great screen front by Matthew Knies, Auston Matthews would slide a puck on the ice past Sens netminder Linus Ullmark to give the Buds a 1-0 lead heading into the second period.

That would be a big goal for Matthews, as scoring in the playoffs has been somewhat negative for one of the best goal-scorers in the world. 

In the Middle frame, it wouldn’t take long for the Leafs to add to their lead as on his 29th birthday, William Nylander would find the back of the net extending Toronto’s lead to two. 

With the Leafs up 2-0, the Sens would still have life-showing pushback as their season would be on the line.

Brady Tkachuk would tip one past Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz to get the Senators on the board making it a 2-1 game. 

Both teams would head into the locker rooms in a close game with one period left to play.  

With the Sens pushing they would be awarded a power play and Morgan Rielly would get called for interference in front of the net.

Unfortunately, Ottawa would not be able to tie it on the man advantage but right after the power play, David Perron would bank one off of Stolarz’s back and it would find a way into the net putting life back into the arena tying the game at two apiece. 

With the game tied at 2-2, two minutes later an unsung hero would find a way to give the Leafs life. 

Max Pacioretty would put one on the Senators’ net that would find a way past Ullmark giving Toronto a 3-2 lead late in the final frame. 

Relived after after Willy (Nylander) made that great play in the first and I hit the post on a wide-open net, Pacioretty said when talking about his late game-winning goal in the third. “Fortunate that Domes (Max Domi) made a great play and there was a great screen as well.” 

With the Leafs holding onto a one-goal lead, with the Sens empty, the birthday boy would strike again as Nylander would put the puck into the empty net and the Leafs would close out the series 4-2. 

Only for the second time in the Matthews era, the Toronto Maple Leafs will be headed to the second round. 

After the game, Matthews was asked about his feelings after being victorious in the Battle of Ontario.

“Feels good, yeah, feels good,” he said.

“It’s not going to be easy we’ve spoken about it, there’s gonna be ups and downs. Just the way we responded after goals against just sticking with it, grabbing the momentum back,” Matthews said when talking about the challenges in the series.

the Leafs “big 3” would be at its best finishing the series all over a point a game with Nylander leading the way with nine points in six games.

What fans have been asking for, they were able to show up when it mattered.

The Leafs second round matchup is set as they will start at home against the Florida Panthers who had knocked Toronto out the last time they had made round two looking for revenge.