Leafs' Matthew Knies hilariously admits his role in team's power-play as Toronto takes 3-0 lead against Senators - "Park my big a** in front"

Matthew Knies and the Toronto Maple Leafs took a commanding 3-0 series lead over the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night.

Defenseman Simon Benoit scored 1:19 into overtime, securing the Maple Leafs' second consecutive victory beyond regulation. They've now got the Senators on the ropes, with the chance to pull off a sweep and eliminate them from the postseason on Saturday night in Ottawa.

One of the biggest factors in Toronto's success has been its red-hot power play. The Maple Leafs have gone 5-9 (55.56%) through the first three games of the series, with all five goals coming from the number one unit. The five-forward setup of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, John Tavares, and Matthew Knies has been almost unstoppable.

Knies spoke to the media following the Game 3 win and was asked about the power play. He provided a funny response that TSN shared on X (formerly Twitter).

"I think, you know, you have a lot of star talent with those four guys there; I've just got to park my big a** in front. And you know, create havoc, take that D away, take the eyes away, and those guys make plays. Luckily, we found a bounce tonight to get us going," Knies said.

Matthew Knies scored a power-play goal in the second period of Thursday night's win, which was his second tally on the man-advantage in the series. Knies is a pending RFA in the final season of his three-year, $2,775,000 entry-level contract with the Maple Leafs.

Matthew Knies has proven to be a playoff performer

In just his second full NHL season, Matthew Knies has become one of the Maple Leafs' most important players come playoff time.

The 22-year-old has produced nine points (five goals, four assists) in just 17 career postseason games while providing a much-needed physical presence. He's been a key contributor in this particular series against Ottawa, recording two points (two goals) through three games.

Head coach Craig Berube has relied heavily on Knies, who has averaged 19:27 of ice time and been used in all facets of the game, including both the power play and penalty kill.

Knies and the Maple Leafs will look to sweep the Ottawa Senators and punch their ticket to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Saturday night. The puck drops at 7 p.m. EST at the Canadian Tire Centre.