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Published Feb 28, 2026  • 2 minute read
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Ottawa’s Drake Batherson (19) celebrates his goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena Saturday night. Photo by Chris Tanouye /Getty ImagesArticle content
In a season full of lows, the Maple Leafs sunk to another level on Saturday night.
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It wasn’t a Battle of Ontario against the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Arena, as that would imply the Maple Leafs were engaged.
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On the way to a 5-2 loss, the Leafs couldn’t be bothered to compete through much of the evening, especially in the first and second periods, and deservedly were run out of the building.
It was the kind of dismal effort that could get a coach fired. We’re not suggesting that Craig Berube is about to be shown the door, but how can that not be taken into serious consideration at season’s end if the Leafs continue on this embarrassing path?
Not that it matters much, but the Leafs didn’t lose ground in the standings. They remain eight points behind the Boston Bruins, who lost to Philadelphia earlier Saturday but still hold the second wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference.
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With the way the Leafs are playing, what smart National Hockey League team would want to acquire any of them before the trade deadline on Friday?
A smattering of boos greeted Leafs captain Auston Matthews when the club recognized its three Olympians during the first period, but those quickly were drowned out by cheers. William Nylander and Oliver Ekman-Larsson drew cheers.
No execution
The Leafs, outshot 40-23 on the night, couldn’t complete a pass through 40 minutes and were bad in all facets.
The Sens held a 5-2 lead at the second intermission, were outshooting Toronto 31-10 and had a 56-19 edge in shot attempts.
Ottawa’s Dylan Cozens and Drake Batherson each scored two goals in the second period, sandwiching a Leafs goal by Nylander.
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Cozens popped a loose puck past Joseph Woll at 3:03; at 13:05, Batherson scored off what appeared to be a giveaway by Matthews, though the captain was not charged with one. Nylander scored 51 seconds later when he tucked the puck past Sens goalie Linus Ullmark.
What happened next was particularly ugly.
Claude Giroux knocked Matthew Knies off the puck at the Leafs blue line, leading to a clear chance for Batherson. He didn’t waste it, scoring at 15:15. Berube challenged for offside and lost, resulting in a bench minor for delay of game. Cozens scored on the power play.
That was it for Woll. In came Anthony Stolarz after Woll allowed five goals on 28 shots.
Despite being outshot 16-2 in the first period, the Leafs skated off with a 1-1 tie after 20 minutes.
A Morgan Rielly goal at 2:52, two seconds after an Ottawa penalty ended was answered by the Sens’ Thomas Chabot at 10:59. The latter had an open lane through the slot a fired a shot over Woll’s glove.
X: @koshtorontosun
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