For the first time in 20 years, the Battle of Ontario is back with avengence as the Toronto Maple Leafs will face-off against the Ottawa Sentors in the playoffs.
As a tortured Toronto Maple Leafs fan for over 30 years, the only thing this fanbase could hold their hat on was beating the Ottawa Senators in the playoffs. Regardless of how bad they beat us in the regular season, whenever they played each other in the playoffs, the Leafs always had the upper-hand.
However, 2025 is a lot different than 2004 because there have been way too many devastating playoff losses since then. Despite making the playoffs for eight (nine, now) straight seasons, the team has only won one playoff round. The Senators used to be the sure-thing, so if the Leafs ultimately lose to them and fail to advance to the Second Round again, the fanbase may light the city on fire.
As we get ready for the Battle of Ontario, all we can hope for a quick series where the Leafs win in five or six games, but we all know it's going seven. I mean, how couldn't it, right? In the meantime, let's look back at three of the most memorable moments in the Battle of Ontario.
Top 3 Moments in the Battle of Ontario
No. 3: Auston Matthews Scores 4 Goals in Opening Night
When you chat about the history of the Leafs and Senators, Auston Matthews' iconic first game with the Leafs needs to be talked about. After being drafted No. 1 overall earlier that summer, Matthews was looked at as the saviour of the team and didn't disapoint.
Although the Leafs ended up losing the game, Matthews scoring four goals was one of the most memorable moments in the history of the team and it was the first of many nights where we were all in-awe about what Matthews can do.
No. 2: Gary Roberts Scores Triple-OT Winner
As a kid, the Battle of Ontario was one of the biggest highlights of my sports fandom and Gary Roberts was my favourite player. Not only could he score, but he was a power-forward who could fight, hit and get into the dirty areas.
In 2002, the Leafs went down 1-0 against Ottawa and were very close to being down 2-0 heading to Ottawa, before Roberts scored a thrilling triple-overtime winner. Off a face-off in the offensive zone, Roberts grabbed the puck at the top of the circle and riffled one past Patrick Lalime, solidifying himself as one of the best playoff Leafs of all-time.
No. 1: Joe Nieuwendyk Scores Twice; Leafs Win Game 7
Speaking of Patrick Lalime, Leafs fans hope that Linus Ullmark turns into him this playoffs because he was always on the losing end in these Leafs/Sens battles. After losing Game 6 and sending the series to a do-or-die Game 7, the Leafs needed their best players to deliver and boy, oh boy, did they ever.
Although he didn't play long in Toronto, Joe Nieuwendyk will always be a hero in Toronto for his Game 7 performance. Nieuwendyk scored two goals on-route to a Game 7 victory, which ended up being the Leafs fourth playoff series victory over the Senators in five years.
Let's hope this year's version of the Battle of Ontario has a few more classics and that the Leafs can continue their winning ways.