OTTAWA – Well, well, well. Look how things have changed.
The Senators-Leafs series is guaranteed to go at least six games, and the mood surrounding both teams has dramatically shifted. The emotional swings and momentum shifts in this `Battle of Ontario` playoff series resemble the movement of tectonic plates. So, where does the momentum go from here?
The value of a seven-game series lies in its length, allowing genuine drama to unfold, offering chances for improvement or decline. Had this been a best-of-three first round from the 1970s, it would be over. Anthony Stolarz might be celebrated as a hero rather than facing scrutiny over goals that sneak past him.
Winning four games truly tests a team`s character, and the seven-game format provides an opportunity to recover from a poor beginning. Toronto allowed Ottawa to claw back from a 3-0 series hole, even after the Leafs had a four-minute power play opportunity in Game 4 overtime. For the Senators, digging out of a 3-0 deficit is the kind of dramatic comeback plot you`d expect in a sports series on Netflix.
Many predicted this series would extend to six or seven games, but few could have foreseen it playing out quite like this.
Tristan Blackwood