Senators Secure Final Win Over Leafs, Set Sights on Hurricanes in Playoffs

The Ottawa Senators wrapped up their 2025-26 NHL regular season with a decisive 3-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs at Canadian Tire Centre on Wednesday night. While the game held no significance in the standings, it was a sweet triumph for Senators fans, who relish any opportunity to defeat their rivals from Toronto.

Drake Batherson, Warren Foegele, and Dylan Cozens found the back of the net for Ottawa, while Claude Giroux contributed with two assists. Goaltender James Reimer turned aside 19 shots, helping the Senators dominate the game with a 38-20 advantage in shots on goal. Ottawa also excelled on special teams, converting 2 of 3 power play opportunities.

Remarkably, the Senators achieved this victory while resting five key players, including Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stützle, Michael Amadio, Thomas Chabot, and Jake Sanderson. Despite the lack of playoff implications, Batherson acknowledged the team’s focus on the upcoming postseason. “I think since we found out who we’re playing in the first round, most of us are just thinking about that, to be honest,” he said. “Obviously, you want to go out there and play well, but it’s tough when you know this weekend you’re playing Game 1.”

Toronto’s lone goal came from William Nylander, who pulled the Leafs within one midway through the third period. However, Cozens sealed the game with an empty-net goal, executing a clever play with Shane Pinto that saw him initially pass the puck only to receive it back for the score.

With this win, the Senators finished the regular season with 99 points, a notable achievement not seen since 2015, the year of the memorable Hamburglar run. The last time they surpassed the 99-point mark was in 2007, when they advanced to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in franchise history.

Although Stützle missed the final two games, he led the team with 34 goals, 49 assists, and a total of 83 points. Now 24, he is entering the prime of his career, showcasing his potential to become an even more significant contributor in the years to come. Despite not having a single 100-point scorer, Ottawa demonstrated a balanced offensive attack this season, with 13 players recording 30 or more points.

On the other hand, the Maple Leafs concluded their season on a disappointing note, with a five-game losing streak, finishing 21 points behind the Senators after having won the Atlantic Division the previous year.

As the Senators prepare for the postseason, they are set to face the Carolina Hurricanes, the top seed in the Eastern Conference. This matchup marks the first-ever playoff meeting between the two franchises. Games 1 and 2 will take place in Raleigh, with dates and times yet to be announced. The Stanley Cup Playoff series are expected to commence as early as Saturday night.

In other Eastern Conference matchups, the Boston Bruins will face off against the Buffalo Sabres, while the Montreal Canadiens will visit the Tampa Bay Lightning, and the Philadelphia Flyers will take on the Pittsburgh Penguins. Full schedule details are anticipated to be released on Thursday.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.