Open this photo in gallery: Toronto Maple Leafs' John Tavares turns with the puck as Ottawa Senators' Thomas Chabot defends in front of goaltender Linus Ullmark in Ottawa, on April 24.Justin Tang/The Canadian Press It was a full house in and around the Toronto Maple Leafs’ practice facility on Monday morning, befitting of a team that could still be the first to advance to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs with a win on Tuesday. However, with the building doubling as a voting centre for the Etobicoke-Lakeshore riding, apparently not everyone was there to ask John Tavares how he was faring after being temporarily knocked out of Saturday’s overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators. Despite lingering soreness in his jaw and cheek from an unpenalized hit to the head from defenceman Artem Zub, Tavares said he felt fine in his first full practice, although he – and others – still haven’t forgotten the collision that forced him into the NHL’s concussion protocol. “I don’t think I really need to explain it,” Tavares said. “I think it’s pretty obvious what happened on the play. Puck’s nowhere near me. But just move on from it. Go out there and keep competing and trust that the refs are going to make the right calls.” His enforced absence meant he missed out on the four-minute power play early in the extra frame, which might have seen Tavares – who leads all Toronto skaters with three goals this postseason – add to the pair of series-clinching overtime goals he has tallied in his career. Tavares eliminated the Florida Panthers in double OT during his time as captain of the New York Islanders in 2016, before knocking out the Tampa Bay Lightning in overtime as the Leafs reached the second round two years ago. Still, the Maple Leafs have another chance to become one of the last eight teams standing in the Stanley Cup playoffs when they host the Senators on Tuesday night. The Leafs’ former captain says that this team is close to getting over the threshold. “We were right there, did a lot of good things,” he said. “But [we] know that there’s more to give, and areas to clean up and be better and just to be aggressive. And obviously, really go out there and enjoy it, have some fun with the opportunity to close it out at home.” The Maple Leafs, and Tavares, have obviously been here before. Back in the pandemic-shortened 2021 season, the Leafs held a 3-1 edge over the Montreal Canadiens, but couldn’t close the deal at home in Game 5, nor on the road in Game 6, before ultimately losing the series in seven. And though Tavares was knocked out of that series in the first game he said the current group of players learned a lot from going through that disappointment. “I think the ebbs and flows of the game, the momentum and just how to stay the course, stay composed, and understand just each play, each shift, how important it is,” he said. “And that’s what it comes down to a lot of times, it did the other night, and just continuing to reinforce that and have that understanding.” Calling it a “head shot,” head coach Craig Berube backed up Tavares’s view on Zub’s hit. And although he would understandably have loved to have Tavares available to him during the four-minute overtime power play, he understands why he was removed to go through the concussion program, which he described as “important.” Still, given the general play of Tavares – which included getting Toronto back into Saturday’s game with a late first-period goal to halve the deficit – Berube is happy that he will be fit to take his role centring the team’s second line Tuesday night. “Just look at the effort and the puck battles and things he does,” he said. “I mean, he’s done a lot of good things, really good things, all year long and in the playoffs he’s been very good.” In addition to playing low-event hockey – Berube’s calling card as a head coach – the Maple Leafs’ bench boss is also trying to get his players to dial in their discipline at this time of year. Case in point was Max Domi’s first-period penalty on Saturday night on a roughing call while battling with Shane Pinto, allowing Ottawa to take the lead on the resulting power play. “Well, that’s not a good penalty,” Berube said. “We know that, like other penalties that are taken [by] guys, they’re not good penalties. Emotions getting involved in the game, and that’s where you got to control your emotions.” Domi admitted he has to be better in those situations, and also added that he’s happy to play for a coach that occasionally puts his feet to the flames, as the 2019 Stanley Cup winner has done in days following Saturday’s loss. “It’s great,” he said. “I mean, he’s driving the bus … and he’s holding us accountable.” Like Tavares, Domi knows that eliminating the Ottawa Senators will be no easy task, particularly a team that seems to grow in confidence by the game. The versatile forward has a little more experience in this area than most of his teammates, reaching the Western Conference final with Dallas two years ago, and advancing in other years too. “When you have a team fighting for their lives, you’re not getting a more desperate team than that,” Domi said. “So it’s one of those things where in order to beat that team, you have to match that in a way. Have more desperation than them.”