Maple Leafs push Senators to the brink of a clean sweep playoff elimination with Benoit's Game 3 OT winner

The Toronto Maple Leafs pulled off a 3-2 overtime win for the second game in a row on Thursday night, taking a stranglehold on their opening-round series against the Ottawa Senators.

Blue liner Simon Benoit scored at the 1:19 mark of the extra frame, notching his first career playoff goal. The game-winner came off a huge face-off win by Maple Leafs’ captain Auston Matthews, who dished the puck back to Benoit.

Benoit then unleashed a blast from the point that got through a maze of bodies and beat Senators’ goalie Linus Ullmark for the game-winning goal.

Here’s a look at the winner:

Matthews played a huge role in the goal as he not only won the draw but also got in front of the net, creating additional traffic that obstructed Ullmark’s view of the puck.

For Matthews, it was his second point of the night as he scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period for the Maple Leafs. Let’s take a look:

The Senators made a huge mistake by failing to trail Matthews on the play. Meanwhile, Mitch Marner made a nifty feed from behind the net to find a wide-open Matthews who did not miss. It was Matthews’ first goal of the playoffs. The Leafs’ captain ended the night with two points (1G, 1A), playing a tremendous game at both ends of the ice.

Matthew Knies continued his hot streak, scoring his second of the postseason and the Maple Leafs’ fifth power play goal of the series. Claude Giroux and Senators’ captain Brady Tkachuk responded. Anthony Stolarz made 18 saves for his third straight win of the postseason.

The two clubs will play Game 4 on Saturday night as the Leafs will be looking for the series sweep.

Toronto Maple Leafs’ Core Four continue to shine against Ottawa Senators

Simon Benoit was the unlikely hero in Game 3 against the Ottawa Senators - Source: Imagn

The Toronto Maple Leafs’ Core Four continues to shine in the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs. In Game 3, the Leafs' top players led the way with Mitch Marner registering two assists, Matthew Knies scoring a goal, and William Nylander registering an assist.

In addition to Matthews’ two points, Morgan Rielly got in on the action, notching a helper on the night.

As it stands, Marner leads the team with six points in three games (1G, 5A). Matthews has registered five points (1A, 4A), with William Nylander getting four points of his own (1G, 3A).

John Tavares continues to be a pleasant surprise for the Leafs, as he has two goals and two assists in three games. He didn’t register on the scoresheet in Game 3 but played another solid game as Toronto’s second-line center.

It’s also worth pointing out that Morgan Rielly has been a solid offensive addition to the Core For’s performance this postseason. Rielly has three assists in the series against Ottawa, showing how a reliable defensive partner like Brandon Carlo has made a huge difference in his game.

The Leafs hope that the Core Four continues to dominate as they set their sights on the second round in the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs.