OTTAWA - The Ottawa Senators faced a heartbreaking end to their season as they fell 4-2 to the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 6 of their first-round playoff series on Thursday night, May 1, 2025, at the Canadian Tire Centre. The defeat marked the end of the Senators' campaign and allowed the Maple Leafs to win the series 4-2.
The Senators, who had been trying to pull off a remarkable comeback after trailing the series 3-0, were unable to push the series to a decisive Game 7. The loss came in front of a raucous crowd of 19,007 fans, who had hoped to witness a storybook ending to the Senators' first playoff appearance since 2017.
Max Pacioretty scored the game-winning goal with just 5:41 remaining in the third period, while William Nylander sealed the victory with an empty-net goal shortly after. The Senators had fought valiantly, with captain Brady Tkachuk scoring in the second period and David Perron tying the game at two in the third.
“It’s devastating,” Tkachuk said, his voice cracking with emotion. “I really believed. It’s a tough pill to swallow right now.” Tkachuk, who had played 512 regular-season games before finally experiencing the playoffs, expressed his deep disappointment but also noted the character displayed by his team throughout the series.
“I mean just the character we have in this room, first and foremost,” he continued. “I knew it all along, but to battle back, and even battle back in this game. It’s tough to swallow but at the end of the day to see this city, see this fan base, I really wanted to do it for them.”
The game started with the Maple Leafs taking an early lead when Auston Matthews scored a power-play goal with just 1:10 left in the first period. The Senators struggled to find their rhythm early, managing only three shots in the opening frame. Toronto's dominance continued as Nylander doubled the lead just 43 seconds into the second period.
However, the Senators refused to back down. Tkachuk brought life back to the rink with his fourth goal of the playoffs at 7:28 of the second period, tipping in a shot from Thomas Chabot to cut the deficit to 2-1. The Senators rallied behind their captain, and the atmosphere in the arena shifted as fans sensed a potential comeback.
With 7:20 remaining in the third period, Perron tied the game at two with a crafty backhand shot that banked off Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz. The arena erupted in cheers, and it seemed that momentum had shifted in favor of the home team.
“We thought we were bringing it back to Toronto. It hurts,” said defenceman Thomas Chabot. “There is no other way to put it. We played good hockey, we stuck to our game, and we did what we wanted to do.”
Just when it seemed the Senators had seized control, Pacioretty struck back, scoring the decisive goal that put the Leafs ahead once again. The energy in the building was palpable, but it quickly dissipated as the Senators pulled goaltender Linus Ullmark in a last-ditch effort to tie the game. Nylander’s empty-net goal sealed the series for Toronto.
“It was tight pretty much the whole series,” Perron said. “I’m proud of the guys, how much they’ve grown this year, even from game to game. We tried to push this to Game 7. It’s tough.”
This playoff series marked the fifth time in franchise history that the Senators have been eliminated by the Maple Leafs, with Toronto now boasting a 5-0 all-time record against Ottawa in the playoffs. The Senators had entered the postseason with low expectations, having not qualified since 2017, but their resilience in the series showed a promising future.
“Everybody gave it their all and put it all out there,” Chabot said. “It sucks right now but I don’t think anyone is going home with regrets about how they played.”
Head coach Travis Green, in his first season behind the Senators bench, expressed pride in his team's performance despite the disappointing outcome. “Well, they’re gonna take away a lot,” Green stated. “What playoff hockey’s like, how hard it is, how razor thin the margin is. Every shift, every battle matters, attention to detail but I’m proud of our group. They played hard.”
As the Senators look ahead to the offseason, decisions loom regarding player re-signing, trades, and the draft. The team has already scheduled two preseason games in Quebec City against the New Jersey Devils and the Montreal Canadiens in September.
Despite the loss, there’s a sense of optimism surrounding the Senators as they prepare for the future. “Yeah, I mean, I think it takes will, it takes guts,” Tkachuk reflected. “Didn’t get the job done but I think we’re gonna take these lessons and be that much better because of it.”
As the Senators leave the ice for the final time this season, fans gave them a loud ovation, recognizing the effort and determination displayed throughout the series. Tkachuk, the last player to exit the ice, embodies the spirit of a team that has faced challenges head-on and is determined to return stronger next year.
