Leafs Edge Senators in OT Thriller Thanks to Benoit’s Clutch Goal

OTTAWA — For a second, Simon Benoit just stood there. Arms raised. Still. Frozen in disbelief. Then, like a stampede, his teammates came crashing toward him, yelling, cheering, mobbing him by the boards. In a moment few would’ve predicted, Benoit — not Matthews, not Marner, not Tavares — had just become the unlikely overtime hero.

His booming slap shot from the blue line, just 79 seconds into the extra period, found its way through traffic and past Linus Ullmark, sealing a 3-2 win for the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night. With the victory, the Leafs now hold a commanding 3-0 lead over the Ottawa Senators in their first-round playoff series.

“I just lifted my arms and stood there,” Benoit said, smiling afterward. “Honestly, I didn’t know what else to do. I saw everyone skating toward me and thought, ‘Wow. That really just happened.’”

It did. And it might’ve just ended the Senators’ season.

Not Your Typical Overtime Hero

Simon Benoit isn’t exactly a household name in Toronto. He’s not on power plays. He’s not racking up goals. He’s the type of player who grinds on the back end, blocks shots, throws hits, and rarely sees the spotlight. But on Thursday night, he owned it.

After Auston Matthews won a clean faceoff in Ottawa’s zone, the puck slid back to Benoit at the point. He didn’t hesitate. He wound up and hammered a low rocket through a mess of legs, sticks, and bodies. Ullmark didn’t see it until it was too late.

“It’s always awesome to see a guy like that get a big one,” said Leafs head coach Craig Berube. “Benny does the dirty work. He’s physical, he defends hard, and tonight, he gets rewarded in the biggest way possible.”

Back-to-Back OT Wins, One Win from a Sweep

Game 2 was an overtime win, too — Max Domi played the hero that night in Toronto. Now Game 3 ends the same way, this time on the road, and the Leafs are one victory away from punching their ticket to the next round.

Toronto has managed to win two straight one-goal games in overtime — a sign of a team that’s growing comfortable in high-pressure playoff moments. It wasn’t always like this.

“This group has been through some tough years,” said Matthews, who scored in the third period. “But right now, we’re focused, we’re grinding, and we’re finding ways to win.”

How the Game Unfolded

The night started tight. Both teams looked cautious in the first period, with limited scoring chances and a lot of physical play. It wasn’t until the second that things opened up.

Ottawa struck first — Claude Giroux found the back of the net on the power play just under two minutes into the period. The crowd roared, sensing this was the Senators’ chance to finally swing momentum their way.

But the Leafs didn’t wait long to answer. Also on a power play, rookie Matthew Knies made it 1-1 after slipping in a rebound near the crease. The game stayed knotted heading into the third.

Then Matthews — doing what he does best — gave Toronto a 2-1 lead just 32 seconds into the final frame. It was classic Leafs hockey: Marner danced behind the net, waited patiently, and found Matthews out front for the quick finish.

It looked like the dagger — but the Senators weren’t done yet.

With just under nine minutes left, Brady Tkachuk tied it for Ottawa with a clean wrist shot from the slot that beat Anthony Stolarz low. The building erupted. The Senators were back in it.

But once the puck dropped in overtime, it didn’t take long for the Leafs to silence the crowd.

Stolarz Quietly Shines Again

While Benoit will rightfully grab the headlines, Toronto’s goaltender Anthony Stolarz deserves his flowers too. Filling in for Ilya Samsonov again, he stopped 18 of 20 shots and looked calm under pressure.

“He’s been so steady,” said Matthews. “He might not get the headlines, but he gives us a chance to win every night.”

Ullmark, on the other side, made 17 saves for Ottawa — and truthfully, he kept them in it. But the game-winner, screened and blasted through a sea of players, was simply unstoppable.

Source: Benoit’s OT goal gives Maple Leafs 3-0 lead over Senators

Ottawa: Back Against the Wall

For all the talk of effort and resilience, the Senators now face the one thing no team wants in the playoffs — elimination.

“One thing I’ll say about this group: we don’t quit,” said head coach Travis Green. “We’re going to show up Saturday, and we’re going to fight like hell.”

They’ll have to. Ottawa has been competitive in all three games, but “close” doesn’t count in the playoffs. Game 4 is do-or-die.

Tkachuk and Giroux both spoke after the game about staying positive, but the reality is harsh. Teams rarely come back from 3-0 deficits, especially against a team as deep and composed as Toronto has looked.

Depth is Doing the Talking

One of the most encouraging signs for the Leafs? It hasn’t just been the superstars stepping up.

Game 2: Max Domi in OT. Game 3: Simon Benoit. Game 1 featured scoring from depth players too. This is a team that’s finally playing like a full unit — not just one line carrying the load.

“We trust everybody,” Berube said. “That’s the difference right now. Guys know they’ll get their shot, and they’re making it count.”

What’s Next

Game 4 is Saturday night in Ottawa. The Maple Leafs can close the series and earn some valuable rest before the second round. For the Senators, it’s desperation time.

“You don’t want it to end like this,” said Tkachuk. “So we’ve got to go out there and leave everything we’ve got on the ice.”

But make no mistake — momentum is fully on Toronto’s side. They’ve taken every punch Ottawa has thrown, and they’ve answered with poise, resilience, and timely scoring.

And now, thanks to an unassuming defenseman with a thunderous shot, they’re on the verge of sweeping a division rival.
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