Max Domi's overtime winner has given the Toronto Maple Leafs a 2-0 series lead over the Ottawa Senators, something this franchise hasn't seen happen in 23 years. The last Maple Leaf team to do it? The 2002 Leafs led by Gary Roberts, Curtis Joseph, Mats Sundin, and you guessed it, Max's father, Tie Domi.
After taking a 2-0 series lead over the New York Islanders in round one of the 2002 playoffs, it took that Leafs team seven games to advance to the second round. They would ultimately lose in the Eastern Conference Finals in six games to the Carolina Hurricanes. Myth-busting Leaf fans would be put into a tizzy when they hear that the Leafs went to overtime four times during the playoffs that year. One of those times? In game two of the second round, Gary Roberts scored the overtime time winner against the Senators, sound familiar?
The Leafs would eventually beat the Senators in seven games; add that to the list of good omens surrounding this Leafs team. The 2002 playoffs marked the second consecutive year that the Leafs went up 2-0 in a series as they swept the Senators in the first round the year prior.
Toronto dropped all three of their regular-season matchups against Ottawa, which was a cause for concern for some heading into this series, but their lead in this series further proves that the playoffs offer a clean slate. A slate so clean that it hasn't mattered for Leaf teams of the past because when looking back at their series wins against Ottawa, those same regular-season questions circulated.
History Hopefully Repeating Itself
From 2000-02, the Leaf's regular season record against the Senators was 4-6, but it didn't prove significant back then as the Leafs handled business against their Ontario neighbor in the playoffs in back-to-back years.
Tuesday's game two of the Battle of Ontario was a nail-biting contest, especially for Leaf fans. In a game where the Leafs once again found themselves up by two goals within the first 10 minutes, thanks to Morgan Reilly and John Tavares, the Senators wouldn't go down as easily as they did in Game 1. The Senators controlled most of the play in Game 2, especially after the first period. According to Moneypuck.com, Ottawa finished with a shot attempt share of 60.58% to Toronto's 39.42%.
Throughout this season, we've seen the Leafs out-shot and, quite honestly, out-played at times, but they have still found ways to win, mostly due to their suburb goaltending and ability to get in the way of pucks. Anthony Stolarz kept the Leafs in it for Game 2, and the Leafs did a good job of making his night easier as they finished with 32 blocked shots.
For the first time in 23 years, the Leafs have a 2-0 series lead this time over their provincial rival, a rival that has always had their number in regular seasons, but when the calendar has hit mid-April in the past, this franchise has always been able to win when it matters, something this current group of Leafs hopes to preserve.