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Toronto Maple Leafs: Top 3 Battle of Ontario Playoff Games

ByStephen Nixon|
TORONTO, ON - MAY 14 : Curtis Joseph of the Toronto Maple Leafs and his teammate, right wing Tie Domi #28, celebrate during game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Ottawa Senators at Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on May 14, 2002. The Maple Leafs won 3-0. (Photo by Dave Sandford/Getty Images/NHLI)
TORONTO, ON - MAY 14 : Curtis Joseph of the Toronto Maple Leafs and his teammate, right wing Tie Domi #28, celebrate during game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Ottawa Senators at Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on May 14, 2002. The Maple Leafs won 3-0. (Photo by Dave Sandford/Getty Images/NHLI)
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KANATA, CANADA – APRIL 12: Joe Nieuwendyk #25 of the Toronto Maple Leafs .(Photo By Dave Sandford/Getty Images)
KANATA, CANADA – APRIL 12: Joe Nieuwendyk #25 of the Toronto Maple Leafs .(Photo By Dave Sandford/Getty Images)

#1. 2004 Eastern Conference Quarter-Finals, Game 7 (Leafs Win 4-1)

Do you ever watch Marvel movies, or superhero movies in general?

The good guy always wins, right?

Well that same logic can be applied to the Toronto Maple Leafs against Ottawa.

2004 was the fourth playoff series between the Leafs and Senators in five seasons. Despite coming close to defeat, the Leafs had yet to lose a playoff series to Ottawa and they weren’t looking to do it anytime soon.

Although we didn’t know it at the time, 2004 marked the end to a lot of things.

First, the NHL would lockout next season and introduce the NHL salary cap for the first time when they returned.

Secondly, in the 16 years since, this was the last playoff game the Leafs and Senators have played and the “Battle of Ontario” has not been the same since.

The score may not have been as tight as the previous games we talked about, but what makes this so special is that it was the end of era.

At this point, the curse of the Maple Leafs was real for Senators fans. No matter if they had a better team on paper or held a 3-2 series lead, Ottawa couldn’t close out a series on their provincial rivals.

With the game being played in Toronto, Leafs fans felt this game was over before it started, and that’s kind of what happened.

The Leafs made it 1-0 early, then two of the biggest goals in Joe Nieuwendyk’s Leafs career were scored minutes later.

Those two goals should never gone in, but as mentioned previously, the superhero in the movie never dies.

The Leafs would win this game 4-1 and end the golden age of the “Battle of Ontario.”

I cannot wait for the Senators to get good again so that the Leafs can beat them one more time in a playoff series.

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