Recap: More overtime, less wins

The Toronto Maple Leafs came into tonight's game looking for their first series sweep since 2001, when they swept the Ottawa Senators. Mats Sundin was captain. Curtis Joseph held the net. The Maple Leafs battled the Hurricanes and Bruins for the seventh and eight seeds for the playoffs while the Senators were fighting for the top spot in the east.

After coming off a 3-2 overtime win in game three, the Leafs relied on the bottom six for scoring two of their goals in the 3-1 win, both from Yanic Perrault - the bottom six centre who was acquired at a previous trade deadline.

The ingredients are here this time as well, even if the positioning battles were reversed.

Game four. In Ottawa. Let's go Leafs!

The first period doesn't start with a skill showcase, but shows two teams both set to not make stupid mistakes, play it safe, and get a much needed win.

And make no stupid mistakes they did....for about eight minutes. then Max Domi got chippy in a face-off.

The first power play of the game leads to the first goal of the game with Brady Tkachuk setting up Tim Stutzle who nails a one timer from the face off circle to open scoring.

1-0 Senators mid-way through the first.

The Leafs fight doesn't die, and the physicality continues. This hit sent Ridly Geig to the dressing room.

The Senators attack the net hard, and Anthony Stolarz tries to swipe the puck away, Jake McCabe dives to block then puck. Senators think they scored, Leafs are piling up in the net, whistles get blown and David Perron takes offense to the waived off goal and puts Calle Jarnkrok in a headlock. He gets a penalty for that.

A goal does happen on the powerplay, but it's a Shane Pinto breakaway goal. He springs the puck loose from the boards, chases it down, and puts it past Stolarz.

2-0 Ottawa.

The Senators are doing a good job controlling play, being able to set up in the offensive zone, and this goes on for the remainder of the second period until we get to the final minute. The Leafs are back in their own end, John Tavares sidles up to the net, gets left all alone as the defenders set up to stop a William Nylander shot, and Tavares is there to redirect it to cut the Senators lead to one.

The second period ends with the Senators leading 2-1. Dylan Cozens and Simon Benoit get into a little shoving match after the whistle, and get matching roughing penalties to start the second.

Do you know why John Tavares scored, aside from him being an excellent hockey player?

The Senators took the lead in shots. Throughout this series the Senators have led in shots on goal. The Leafs won all those games. The Leafs got an early lead in shots on goal this time? Two against. I'm not saying it's connected by it's happening.

After the four on four ends without as goal, the Leafs should maybe discuss why Ottawa is getting so many chance to set plays and take their time with the puck tonight.

The first penalty of the second period is called for the Leafs, as Cozens trips over Tavares' stick. Another Senators powerplay.

It only lasts 1:20, as Jake Sanderson is called for interference after shoving Mitch Marner who was chasing a cleared puck. We are at four on four for the second time in six minutes.

No four on four goal, no Leafs power play goal. It's very hard to win four games in a row, the Leafs are the only team this year to win three in a row, so we can't expect to lead and win every game but I do so I am upset at the moment.

Matthew Knies know's what's up here, and how upset I am, so he does me a solid and steals a puck, takes off down the ice, through two Senators defenders, and ties the game.

Matthew Motherf&%#$^g Knies.

Tied at two.

The third period starts, and so does the shenaniganery.

Well, it continues from the end of the second:

The first half of the third is largely uneventful, just hockey being played.

The Leafs are being held off the shot clock, and the Senators are getting some chances, which pays off around eight minutes in when David Perron scores his first of the playoffs.

3-2 Ottawa, half a period left.

The Leafs pick up their game a few minutes later, and start getting better chances in the offensive zone, but Ottawa is also picking up their clearing game and masking sure the Leafs chances are limited.

On one shot Linus Ullmark is forced to dive across the crease to get then glove in place, and saves a tying shot.

The Leafs get back into the Senators end, John Tavares shoots into Ullmarks logo, the puck bounces out to Nylander, who sees a wide open Oliver Ekman-Larsson who gets the pass and ties the game.

As the old saying goes, shoot when Ullmark isn't looking.

Tied at threes with five minutes left.

Both teams push hard for a last second goal, but no one has any luck and it's overtime for the third straight game.

Overtime starts faster and stronger than I expected. Both teams force the goalies to make quick, dangerous saves, they're setting up good plays, getting chances, being physical.

A rare sight in overtime: A referees arm going up.

Drake Batherson for Ottawa gets called for high sticking Chris Tanev, and after Tanev skates over to the refs, he shows that this drew blood. That means a double minor. Four minute power play.

This powerplay is all Leafs. Taking their time. Setting up passing lanes. Shooting close to the net to conserve on rebounds. Crowd is up and cheering for both sides.

They have to swap units, and the second PP isn't as strong, but are still getting chances, though the Senators are clearing the puck more against then.

The Leafs call a time out with 30 seconds left in the powerplay.

The extra rest doesn't help, as four minutes, five shots, ends the power play.

The Senators come close to getting their first win, shooting and shooting at the Leafs net, but Stolarz comes out the winner there.

John Tavares returns to the ice; he took a hit early in overtime and was in the dressing room the past ten minutes. Scary times, and could have used him on the powerplay.

With just over two minutes remaining, the Ottawa Senators keep their playoff hopes alive after Jake Sanderson gets the puck into the net. Not a flashy goal, but a good one. For Ottawa.

Senators win 3-2 in overtime. That score is becoming a theme in this series.

The longest overtime so far this series ends in disappointment, but that just means I was right in that the Leafs will win this series at home in five games.

Overall, not the Leafs best game - I preferred the ones they didn't lead in shots - but you can't win them all.

Only change I would make is putting Robertson back in, take Pacioretty out. Youth over Old Guy Without A Cup. OGWAC can get a kindness game in the final.

Tuesday night, 7PM. Let's watch the Leafs win a series.