Vying for sweep of Senators, Leafs believe ‘killer instinct’ will kick in

Closing out a playoff series has been an issue for the Toronto Maple Leafs over the years. With a 2-13 record in potential series-clinching games since 2004, they’ll look to buck that trend when they visit the Ottawa Senators for Game 4 of their first-round series on Saturday.

“All we can do is understand what you need to do every shift as a player, and know the battling and competitiveness you need, and the puck play, the smart puck play,” Toronto coach Craig Berube said. “That’s the process you need to focus on. The killer instinct will take care of itself.”

The Maple Leafs took a 3-0 series lead on Thursday with a 3-2 overtime victory in Game 3 when defenseman Simon Benoit scoring the game-winning goal early in overtime. A victory on Saturday would give them their first series sweep since 2001, when the Leafs also pulled off a first-round sweep against the Senators.

Despite the commanding advantage Toronto holds in the series, the team knows it hasn’t been as large of a gap inside the actual games.

Each of the past two games were tight and required overtime after Ottawa scored the tying goal in the third period. In Game 2, the Senators erased a 2-0 deficit. In Game 3, Ottawa overcame Auston Matthews’ go-ahead goal 32 seconds into the third.

“The only thing we can do right now is look at the positive,” Ottawa forward David Perron said. “We feel like we’re right there. What’s history saying so far? Not great. But we’re going to try to turn this thing around one game at a time.”

The Senators earned their first lead of the series when they opened the scoring in Game 3. Claude Giroux delivered that goal and leads Ottawa with three points (one goal, two assists). Captain Brady Tkachuk tied the game 2-2 and leads the team with two goals.

They got a solid outing from goalie Linus Ullmark, which they’ll need again as they start to claw their way back. The Senators have scored only two goals in each of the three games so far.

The Maple Leafs have scored 12 goals and have managed to establish a presence in front of Ullmark’s net, with Matthew Knies the most consistent presence at the crease.

“It’s gonna come down to us all as well, (not) allowing him or anyone else to get in front and utilize their skills,” Ullmark said.

Benoit’s game-winning tally on Thursday was a seeing-eye shot through traffic. Ottawa knows it needs to do a better job of creating those opportunities at the other end.

“Sometimes it comes down to Lady Luck,” Ullmark said. “And you know what, with Lady Luck, you gotta earn it.”

With most players on every playoff team nursing some level of bumps and bruises, the Maple Leafs know the benefit of wrapping up their series against the Senators as early as possible.

“It can definitely be a good thing,” defenseman Brandon Carlo said. “There’s been times in my career that you finish off the series fast, and you have a long break between. That can become kind of awkward. But overall, I think rest is a weapon. And for us, confidence-wise going forward, you want to continue on the right track.”

–Field Level Media