GAME DAY: Rapidly improving Senators give chase to Leafs in standings​on March 15, 2025 at 11:00 am

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WHEN: Saturday, 7 p.m.

TV: Sportsnet/CBC

RADIO: TSN 1050

ODDS

Toronto – 165, Ottawa +140

THE BUZZ

Playoffs for the first time in eight years are a legitimate topic in Ottawa as the Senators seek to improve their wildcard lead, put some heat on the inconsistent Leafs, and maybe face them in the first round …  It’s the last game of the season’s series, with Ottawa holding sway at 2-0 and outscoring Toronto 5-1 … Leafs lost 3-2 to Florida on Thursday in a mostly quiet night for their big guns … Leaf captain Auston Matthews’s 11-game points streak has devolved to the past three without a goal or assist … Josph Woll’s likely to get the start in net for Leafs, having just passed Terry Sawchuk for 23rd in Leaf wins with 43 … Linus Ullmark is expected to go for the Sens, who have five straight wins since the NHL trade deadline … Ullmark’s .912 save percentage put him 10th in the NHL before Friday’s games … Ottawa is working to improve its standing as the second-worst giveaway team in the league.

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THE NEWS

Ottawa coach Travis Green expects captain Brady Tkachuk to play after a sore hip sidelined him the final 6:36 of Thursday’s 6-3 win over Boston … Ottawa didn’t practice Friday, neither did Toronto … Starting with a goal against the Leafs on Jan. 25, Sens’ centre Tim Stutzle ran up a 14-game points streak, extended to 16 of his past 17 after the Boston victory … Green made his 400th NHL coaching appearance on Thursday … Eight of Ottawa’s final nine games are at home.

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THE QUOTE

“It goes back to November when we weren’t playing well and we talked a lot about not looking in the rearview mirror. Worry about today and worry about the present.” — Green on the Sens’ recent run of success.

THE POLL

What singular rivalry was the most bitter in The Battle of Ontario?

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1. Darcy Tucker-Chris Neil
2. Mats Sundin-Daniel Alfredsson
3. Curtis Joseph-Patrick Lalime
4. Coaches Pat Quinn–Jacques Martin

THE PROJECTED LEAFS LINEUP

Forwards

Matthew Knies – Auston Matthews – Mitch Marner
Calle Jarnkrok – John Tavares – William Nylander
Bobby McMann – Scott Laughton – Max Domi
Steven Lorentz – David Kampf – Pontus Holmberg/Nick Robertson

Defence

Jake McCabe – Chris Tanev
Morgan Rielly – Brandon Carlo
Simon Benoit – Oliver Ekman-Larsson

Goal

Joseph Woll
Anthony Stolarz

INJURIES

Toronto:

LW Max Pacioretty (lower body), D Jani Hakanpaa (knee).

Ottawa

F Nick Cousins (knee)

THE PREDICTION

Leafs due to turn things around and get some goals. 5-3 Toronto.

lhornby@postmedia.com

X: @sunhornby

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