Max Domi’s OT goal gives Leafs 2-0 lead series vs. Senators

Max Domi scored at 3:09 of overtime, lifting the Toronto Maple Leafs over the Ottawa Senators 3-2 on Tuesday night and giving the hosts a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference first-round playoff series.

Game 3 is Thursday in Ottawa.

Domi scored on a 28-foot wrist shot from the edge of the left circle after taking a backhand pass from Simon Benoit and weaving to his left.

“They’re a great team and gave us all we could handle,” Domi said. “(Benoit) made a great play and I just shot it.”

John Tavares had a goal and an assist for the Maple Leafs. Morgan Rielly also scored and Anthony Stolarz made 26 saves.

“Confidence is high but they’re going to be ready to go (in Game 3),” Stolarz said. “They will have their home crowd behind them.”

Brady Tkachuk and Adam Gaudette scored for the Senators, who overcame a two-goal deficit to force overtime. Linus Ullmark stopped 18 shots.

“I think that (comeback) gives us confidence,” Tkachuk said. “There’s not one ounce of panic, doubt in this locker room.

“It comes down to one shot, things happen. I think we controlled a lot of play. We’ve been resilient all year. We’re not going to let us deflate us. I’m looking forward to Game 3 with our home fans behind us.”

Toronto opened the first period aggressively and Ullmark was forced to make a save when Pontus Holmberg broke in alone at 1:20.

The pressure paid off when Rielly moved to the edge of the crease and steered home a pass from William Nylander at 3:43.

The Senators reversed the flow when they took four shots on goal during a power play that started at 4:45, but Stolarz was solid.

The Maple Leafs took advantage of their first power play. Tavares scored from the right circle when his shot was deflected by a defender at 8:20 with Toronto’s Matthew Knies hovering on the doorstep. Artem Zub was off for tripping.

Ottawa came out stronger in the second period and took four shots on goal on an early power play.

The Maple Leafs can be vulnerable to the forecheck, and the Senators kept them bottled up for stretches in the first half of the second period.

Ottawa broke through on the power play at 15:41 of the second when Tkachuk’s between-the-legs pass from the side of the crease was knocked into the net by Toronto defenseman Brandon Carlo. Nicholas Robertson was off for high-sticking.

Ottawa was gaining confidence and had a 13-3 edge in shots on goal in the second.

The Senators hemmed the Maple Leafs in for nearly a minute midway into the third but could not get a shot on goal. Toronto was effectively clogging the middle of the ice.

A turnover in the Toronto zone helped Ottawa tie the game when Gaudette deflected Tyler Kleven’s shot at 14:47 of the third.

“There is no reason to panic,” Senators coach Travis Green said. “I liked the way we played tonight. It’s a big step for our group.”

–Field Level Media