Battle of Ontario lacks spark with Senators struggling
The names and the faces have changed in the Battle of Ontario.
The question is this: Does the rivalry remain the same?
Those who remember the glory days of the Ottawa Senators versus the Toronto Maple Leafs long for the early 2000s, when the combatants included the late Pat Quinn, Mats Sundin, Darcy Tucker, Tie Domi, Gary Roberts, Chris Neil, Daniel Alfredsson and Jacques Martin.
Yes, the Leafs have plenty of talent with newly re-signed Auston Matthews, John Tavares, Mitch Marner, and Frederik Andersen in net, but these teams haven’t met in the National Hockey League playoffs since Toronto beat Ottawa in the opening round in 2004.
As they prepare to face off for only the second time this season at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday night, the Leafs appear destined for an Eastern Conference playoff spot, but the Senators are trying to find their way out of last place overall.
Is this rivalry what it used to be?
“I don’t think, given the circumstances right now, you can say it is,” said alternate captain Mark Borowiecki, who grew up in Stittsville and was a Senators fan as a kid. “With the disparity in the standings between us, that’s actually going to take a little bit of the heat out of it.
“But, at the same time, this is an opportunity for us to be a bit of a spoiler here and go in and try to piss them off a little bit. That’s the challenge and the approach that we need in here. That’s going to help get us up for this game, not that we need help getting up for a game against Toronto.”
Between 2000-04, the Senators faced the Leafs four times in the playoffs, losing all four series. The Senators did reach the East final in 2003, but they didn’t have to go through the Leafs to get there, and former coach Martin was fired after a loss to Toronto in Game 7 in 2004.
Nobody could deny it wasn’t entertaining hockey, and the office war of words was sometimes as good as the on-ice battles. That element has been missing recently.
“I remember when I was a kid, watching those playoff series, and that was probably the peak of the rivalry, with do-or-die situations,” the 29-year-old Borowiecki said. “Really, is anything going to measure up to that right now in this situation? Probably not, but the rivalry is definitely still there.”
Of course, Borowiecki can remember the days when the Leafs were villains.
“There were some larger-thanlife personalities on both sides,” he said. “They were people who had a presence on and off the ice and brought unique things to the game.
“I just think given that both teams were pretty successful, too. I just think, when you combine those two things, it’s a bit of a powder keg. You’ve got the Tuckers and the Leafs’ fan base didn’t like (Alfredsson) and guys who we loved and worshipped here.
“You took so much pride in your players and your team. It just naturally gave that little bit of extra heat.”
So, how do you reignite that? People always want to revive the past, but down the road, the best bet is for the Senators to build themselves back up into being contenders so that these games
This is an opportunity for us to be a bit of a spoiler here and go in and try to piss them off a little bit. That’s the challenge.
become more meaningful.
“We’ve got to get things right here, as a team and as an organization, first and foremost,” Borowiecki said. “The rivalries come especially when points are on the line, when it’s two teams who have that proximity and history, but also when there’s something at stake.
“I think our focus right now has to be inward.”
THE LAST WORDS
Senators general manager Pierre Dorion says defenceman Christian Jaros won’t play Wednesday because of a lower-body injury. The best bet for a return to action for Jaros is next Tuesday at home against the Carolina Hurricanes . ... Winger Mikkel Boedker is “week-to-week ”with an unspecified injury, and it doesn’t sound like he’ll be back soon. The Senators are expected to recall a forward and a defenceman from their American Hockey League affiliate. The Belleville Senators were to face the Marlies on Tuesday night, so the two players who are recalled will just stay in town … The Senators visited the Hockey Hall of Fame for a reception with Toronto-based corporate clients on Tuesday night … Senators head coach Guy Boucher wasn’t at practice on Monday because he was having a colonoscopy. “I listened to (the late) Bryan Murray’s advice to be checked,” Boucher said ... Craig Anderson will start in net for Ottawa against the Leafs. That means you can expect to see backup Anders Nilsson against the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday.