Who wins between the Leafs & Senators if they played in the first round last season?

[LeafsNation75]

Last season during the Leafs 82nd regular season game all they needed was 1 point to setup the 5th Battle of Ontario playoff series against the Senators and it would have been their first playoff series against them since 2004. Things were looking good for that to happen because they were winning 2-0 against Columbus who were already locked into 3rd place in their division, however all of the sudden late in the 2nd period Columbus scored 3 straight goals to take the lead and they would not give it up. That meant Toronto would be playing Washington instead. So had they played Ottawa do the Senators actually win that series since they ended up defeating Boston or does Toronto somehow manage to keep their streak of winning another playoff series against the Senators in the playoffs?

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[Big Phil]

I think the only time the Sens beat the Leafs - maybe - was 2003 had they played. But last year the Sens went way above their heads I thought. Being one goal away from de-throning the Pens and being in the Cup final was not what you expected from that team. Toronto on the other hand made Washington sweat buckets in that series. Yeah, I get the feeling the Leafs take it. It is like asking who wins in any given year between the Pens and Caps. The answer is the Pens by default because they never lose to them.

 

[LeafsNation75]

Even if the Leafs did play the Senators in 2003 which would have happened if they were not eliminated by the Flyers in the first round, let's remember it was 3 previous years of the Leafs defeating them in the playoffs. So even though Ottawa would have had home ice, they also had it in 2001 as the #2 seed and the Leafs were the #7 seed and that year the Leafs won it 4-0.

Now last year considering how Auston Matthews had dominated against Ottawa in the regular season I can only imagine him playing against them in the playoffs. He had 4 goals and 1 assist in six games against Washington, so you got to think he gets that or more against Ottawa.

 

[LuckyPierre]

Even if the Leafs did play the Senators in 2003 which would have happened if they were not eliminated by the Flyers in the first round, let's remember it was 3 previous years of the Leafs defeating them in the playoffs. So even though Ottawa would have had home ice, they also had it in 2001 as the #2 seed and the Leafs were the #7 seed and that year the Leafs won it 4-0.

Now last year considering how Auston Matthews had dominated against Ottawa in the regular season I can only imagine him playing against them in the playoffs. He had 4 goals and 1 assist in six games against Washington, so you got to think he gets that or more against Ottawa.

Erik Karlsson had 7 points in 4 games versus Toronto in the regular season. He put up 6 of the most insane points in 6 games against Boston in round one, so you'd have to think he gets that or more against Toronto.

To answer the question, the Senators added a healthy Bobby Ryan, Clarke MacArthur, and Marc Methot for the playoff run. It wasn't the same team that was fielded for much of the regular season, who, by the way, went 3-1 versus Toronto. Going by that line of thinking, a suddenly fortified Ottawa wins. And EK65 puts on a show like he did versus Boston - quite possibly the most dominant a Senators player has been in a series, ever.

But if the ghosts of playoff past had anything to say, then sure, Toronto finds a way to win the series.

 

[LeafsNation75]

Erik Karlsson had 7 points in 4 games versus Toronto in the regular season. He put up 6 of the most insane points in 6 games against Boston in round one, so you'd have to think he gets that or more against Toronto.

To answer the question, the Senators added a healthy Bobby Ryan, Clarke MacArthur, and Marc Methot for the playoff run. It wasn't the same team that was fielded for much of the regular season, who, by the way, went 3-1 versus Toronto. Going by that line of thinking, a suddenly fortified Ottawa wins. And EK65 puts on a show like he did versus Boston - quite possibly the most dominant a Senators player has been in a series, ever.

But if the ghosts of playoff past had anything to say, then sure, Toronto finds a way to win the series.

I realize last years Senators team had nothing to do with their 2001 team, however that year they also won the regular season series 5-0 and got swept in the first round by the Maple Leafs. So that's history they would have had to overcome.

 

[LuckyPierre]

I realize last years Senators team had nothing to do with their 2001 team, however that year they also won the regular season series 5-0 and got swept in the first round by the Maple Leafs. So that's history they would have had to overcome.

I remember that all too well. It would have been a real hurdle.

But Ottawa had something special going on last year. Karl was playing video game hockey 30 minutes a night; it could have easily been the year.

 

[MarkStone]

I think the only time the Sens beat the Leafs - maybe - was 2003 had they played. But last year the Sens went way above their heads I thought. Being one goal away from de-throning the Pens and being in the Cup final was not what you expected from that team. Toronto on the other hand made Washington sweat buckets in that series. Yeah, I get the feeling the Leafs take it. It is like asking who wins in any given year between the Pens and Caps. The answer is the Pens by default because they never lose to them.

Well that's because the Penguins and Capitals have been two consistent playoff teams since the 80's. That narrative actually has merit. The Leafs on the other hand robbed the Sens of any revenge opportunities post 2005 lockout due to not even being able to qualify for almost a decade.
Now we're both completely biased in this but I think the Sens take it last year. People are going to project and view last year's series through the lens of how each team's season has gone just a year later but the Sens had the Leafs number last year to even the start of this season.
Leafs had the greater game-breaking talent but Sens last year were almost built like the Quinn era Leafs teams funny enough. Soak up the opposition's dangerous chances and counter the opposing way for some timely goal scoring (although the Sens were more 95 Devils like in their approach).

 

[MarkStone]

I realize last years Senators team had nothing to do with their 2001 team, however that year they also won the regular season series 5-0 and got swept in the first round by the Maple Leafs. So that's history they would have had to overcome.

No disrespect to Freddie Andersen but Curtis Joseph ain't walking through that door. And that was a heck of a shaky d-core in front of Freddie last year.

 

[tony d]

Would have been an interesting series. Call me a homer if you will but I think Ottawa wins the series in 7.

 

[MXD]

This thread is f***ing irrelevant to the history of hockey, since none of these two teams are legendary or actually even historically significant.