25 Years After It Started, The Battle Of Ontario Is About To Get Good Again

The Senators and Leafs are both finally relevant at the same time, and jostling for playoff position down the stretch.

Brady Tkachuk and Mitch Marner (Imagn Images)

It's well known that the Ottawa Senators haven't been to the playoffs in almost eight years, but their greatest NHL rivalry has been dormant for a lot longer than that.

Ottawa’s famous Battle of Ontario with the Toronto Maple Leafs dates back almost 25 years – April 12, 2000 – when they first met in the playoffs in the 2000 postseason. That set off four playoff series between the two clubs over the next five years. While Toronto won every series, there was fierce animosity between the two teams and their fan bases that carried on for several years.

But until recently, the rivalry's fire had turned to embers.

After their successful playoff runs against the Senators were completed in 2004, the Leafs fell into complete disrepair, even by their standards, missing the playoffs for 10 of the next 11 seasons. Then it was Ottawa's turn. While both clubs made the playoffs in 2017, the Senators haven't been back since.

Now, both teams are finally relevant at the same time, and jostling for playoff position down the stretch.

As they prepare for their game on Saturday night in Toronto, there are 17 games left in the season, and there’s still a possibility that the two clubs could meet in the playoffs.

Winners of five in a row, the Senators are currently the top Wild Card team in the East, but they're only four points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for third place in the Atlantic – a position that would put them on a collision course with the second-place Leafs.

There's nothing a Senators fan would like more than the chance for another Springtime Playoff Battle of Ontario. Yes, there are old scores to settle, especially if you're a fan who’s over 35, but it might also be the most favourable matchup for the Sens, who are 5-1 against Toronto over the past two seasons.

As the regular season hourglass empties out, and with both teams dying for some playoff success, Saturday’s Battle of Ontario should be good and feisty.

But taking this fight into the playoffs would be next level.

Line Combinations for Saturday Night:

As far as the lineup goes, according to TSN 1200 radio:

- Travis Green says Travis Hamonic will replace an injured Nick Jensen tonight

- Brady Tkachuk looks good to go after missing his last few shifts on thursday with a tweaked hip

- Linus Ullmark will start in goal

Ottawa

Tkachuk-Stützle-Giroux
Perron-Cozens-Batherson
Greig-Pinto-Amadio
Highmore-Gaudette-Zetterlund

Sanderson-Zub
Chabot-Hamonic
Kleven-Matinpalo

Ullmark

Scratched: Dennis Gilbert
Injured: Nick Cousins (knee), Nick Jensen (undisclosed)

Toronto

McMann-Tavares-Marner
Knies-Matthews-Domi
Jarnkrok-Laughton-Nylander
Lorentz-Holmberg-Robertson

(Matthews has morning off, will play against Senators tonight)

McCabe-Tanev
Rielly-Carlo
Benoit-Ekman-Larsson

Stolarz
Woll

Scratched: David Kampf, Phillippe Myers
Injured: Jani Hakanpaa (lower body), Max Pacioretty (tightness)

Face-off is 7 pm (CBC, SNO, SNW, SNP, TVAS2).

Stay updated with the most interesting Ottawa Senators stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News to never miss a story.

Topics

Ontario Premier Ford hails 'positive' meeting with Lutnick

Ontario Premier Doug Ford lauded his Thursday meeting with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick as “positive” and “productive” after their public rift over tariffs on imported goods. “We shared a ...
The Hill - 3d
2025 Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitcher Tiers 3.0: Tiered rankings for a position that's about as deep as ever

'The Glob' from a year ago has been replaced by 'The Good Glob'
CBS Sports - 3d
Canada backs down from 25% electricity surcharge after Trump threats

Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Tuesday he had agreed to suspend a 25% surcharge on electricity imports into the United States after having conversed with U.S.
NBC News - 5d
The Madness of March Won’t Be the Same Without the Legendary Greg Gumbel

For more than 25 years, Gumbel provided calm in the most chaotic stretch of the sports calendar.
The New York Times - 8h
NHL playoff watch: Who will make the Eastern Conference finals?

The Hurricanes and Lightning both have good shots, and they face off Tuesday on ESPN+. Plus, updated playoff projections, draft lottery outlook, more.
ESPN - 5d
'The Details In Our Game Haven't Been There': Maple Leafs Lose To Desperate Senators In Hunt For The Playoffs

The Toronto Maple Leafs are playing their worst hockey of the season and that was magnified on Saturday when they fell 4-2 to a surging Ottawa Senators club looking to stake their claim into the ...
Yahoo Sports - 1d
Suns' Mason Plumlee, Rockets' Steven Adams ejected after fight breaks out early in matchup in Houston

The two centers locked up while jostling for position in the paint before suddenly throwing each other down to the court at the Toyota Center.
Yahoo Sports - 4d
Behind Ontario's tax on electricity for the U.S.

Canada's Ontario province is charging a 25% tax on electricity sent to the U.S. as retaliation over President Trump's tariffs. CBS News' Shanelle Kaul spoke to Ontario's energy minister, Stephen ...
CBS News - 6d
Hidalgo, No. 6 Notre Dame take over down stretch to beat Cal 73-64 in ACC quarterfinals

Hannah Hidalgo scored 25 points and No. 6 Notre Dame took over down the stretch to beat California 73-64 in the quarterfinals of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament
ABC News - Mar. 7

25 Years After It Started, The Battle Of Ontario Is About To Get Good Again

Topics

Related

Ontario Premier Ford hails 'positive' meeting with Lutnick

2025 Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitcher Tiers 3.0: Tiered rankings for a position that's about as deep as ever

Canada backs down from 25% electricity surcharge after Trump threats

The Madness of March Won’t Be the Same Without the Legendary Greg Gumbel

NHL playoff watch: Who will make the Eastern Conference finals?

'The Details In Our Game Haven't Been There': Maple Leafs Lose To Desperate Senators In Hunt For The Playoffs

Suns' Mason Plumlee, Rockets' Steven Adams ejected after fight breaks out early in matchup in Houston

Behind Ontario's tax on electricity for the U.S.

Hidalgo, No. 6 Notre Dame take over down stretch to beat Cal 73-64 in ACC quarterfinals

More from Yahoo Sports

Who should be the Louisville-area high school Student of the Week?

Who should be the Louisville-area high school Student of the Week?

LHSAA state runner up Parkway dominates 2025 All-District 1-5A girls basketball team

LHSAA state runner up Parkway dominates 2025 All-District 1-5A girls basketball team

What does Bengals' massive re-signings mean for potential Trey Hendrickson trade?

More in Sports

Who should be the Louisville-area high school Student of the Week?

Who should be the Louisville-area high school Student of the Week?

LHSAA state runner up Parkway dominates 2025 All-District 1-5A girls basketball team

LHSAA state runner up Parkway dominates 2025 All-District 1-5A girls basketball team

What does Bengals' massive re-signings mean for potential Trey Hendrickson trade?