Another chapter of the Battle of Ontario has been written and closed, and what a dramatic chapter it was.
The Ottawa Senators - the NHL’s hottest team - came into this game chasing a wild card spot while the Toronto Maple Leafs aiming to play spoiler against their arch-rivals at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.
A shootout goal by Peter Holland put a dagger right through the Sens’ playoff hopes in a game they were desperate for both points as the Leafs came out 3-2 winners in the shootout.
Leafs head coach Peter Horachek praised his player's performance after a 10-game absence because of injury. "He stepped right in and played hard right off the bat and that's not easy after being out for as long as he was," said Horachek of Holland.
With the one point picked up, the Senators moved two points behind the Detroit Red Wings for the second and final playoff wild card position.
The Pittsburgh Penguins and Red Wings currently stand in the way and occupy the two wild card spots. After both teams lost earlier Saturday afternoon respectively, the Senators will have to be disappointed with not taking advantage to move even closer.
Ottawa - 7-2-1 in their last ten games - came in riding hot goaltender Andrew Hammond, despite starting for the fourth time in six days. The Leafs countered with Jonathan Bernier after James Reimer faced 50 shots and a shootout Saturday night against the Boston Bruins.
Joffrey Lupul opened the scoring for Toronto just 3:10 into the game - his first goal since December 29th. The Leafs dominated the first period, out scoring the Senators 22-12.
The Sens came out much stronger in the second, however, strenuously looking for a way back into the game. After Andrew MacWilliam went off for a tripping penalty, Sens captain Erik Karlsson equalized for his side with a finish down low.
The Leafs fired right back through James van Riemsdyk to put them in front just 5:27 later. A nice buildup up from back behind the net saw Holland pass it cross ice to van Riemsdyk who just needed to redirect it into an open cage.
Bernier stood tall for his side and made sure to give them every chance of winning. The Sens fired 17 shots at him in the second frame before he broke down.
Mark Stone - third in all rookie points - tied the game up with a nice one time finish from the slot 1:09 into the third period. A nice feed from teammate Kyle Turris was finished with a snap shot, the 22nd goal of the season for Stone.
After an energetic and intense remaining 18:91, regulation solved nothing and the game went to a shootout.
Horachek was asked about the fierce battle despite the Leafs having nothing to play for: "That's a hockey game: Back and forth, the pressure's on. Their season's on the brink."
The Leafs, sitting fourth to last in the standings with nothing much to play for but pride were determined to rain on the Senators parade.
Bernier and Hammond faced 45 and 38 shots respectively, in a classic goaltending battle.
After just allowing one goal a piece in the preliminary round of the shootout, both goalies forced a seven round thriller before Holland finally solved Hammond.
"We're clawed, we're clawed. We're still alive," stated Sens head coach Dave Cameron after his team's loss.
The Senators now sit with 93 points, while the Bruins, Penguins and Red Wings are all bound at 95 points a piece.
The Senators play the Penguins Tuesday night in Ottawa in which is sure to be a playoff decider.