The Senators are not the better team; they haven’t been all season or in the series, either. Yet, if there’s anything the first round has shown, it’s that they can put together a reverse sweep. They have the pieces to do it and can get hot at the right time, which is right now. Senators Have the Stars Stepping Up The Senators entered this series with a core that had the skills to give the Maple Leafs problems. They had the size and physicality, along with the speed and scoring instincts, to make the games tight. That’s what happened in every game in this series, aside from the Game 1 romp, that is. Brady Tkachuk is making plays all over the ice. He has two goals in this series, and in Game 4, delivered a hit that set up a goal at the other end of the ice that flipped the momentum of the game. Jake Sanderson scored the game-winner in Game 4 and has done it throughout the series, from creating turnovers to moving the puck up the ice while averaging 27:35 ice time. Tim Stutzle is starting to heat up as well, scoring a goal in Game 4 and taking on a bigger role in the offensive zone. With Stutzle joining the other stars on the Senators, this team has a group that can turn around the series. They stole one game away from the Maple Leafs, and they just might take over three. It’s a Close Series The last three games were decided by one goal and went into overtime. If the puck bounces one way or another a few times, or the referees (who, according to both fan bases, are biased against their teams) make a few different calls, the Senators and not the Maple Leafs would be boasting a 3-1 series lead. This isn’t meant to discredit the Maple Leafs for building up a 3-1 lead. After all, they are the team getting the job done in overtime while the Senators aren’t. That said, it shows how close the series is, and if the Senators can step up and make a few plays, they can control things. The Senators specifically need Linus Ullmark to step up and rebound from a rough start to the series. He was supposed to give the team an advantage as an elite goaltender in the net, yet he’s allowed 15 goals on only 99 shots. If he can find his footing and look like the elite goaltender who willed the Senators to the playoffs, then this series will be a completely different one down the stretch. Senators’ Veterans Coming in Clutch Every team must answer the question of how they want to round out their roster. Once the core is set, who will play the depth roles to get the team over the hump? The Senators answered that by adding veterans to the forward unit, notably David Perron and Claude Giroux. Giroux was given a three-year deal in the 2022 offseason, making him a much-needed veteran for an otherwise young team, while Perron was brought in this offseason to get this team to the playoffs. Both Giroux and Perron are the veterans who have the playoff experience, but more importantly, can make a difference on the later lines. It’s what they did in the recent games. Giroux scored a goal and added an assist in the Game 3 loss, while Perron’s goal in Game 4 flipped the momentum of the game and allowed the Senators to retake the lead in a game they’d ultimately win in overtime. The Maple Leafs might have the deeper roster. However, the Senators have the veterans who can take over this series. Giroux was on the Philadelphia Flyers when they pulled off the reverse sweep against the Boston Bruins in 2010. Now, he’s looking to do the same thing with his hometown team, and if the Senators can pull it off, he’ll be a big part of it. Why This Maple Leafs Team Is Different It’s hard to pinpoint the one or two things that make this Maple Leafs team, one that finished the season with the best record in the Atlantic Division, different. One major way is that they are coached for this moment. Craig Berube was hired with the pressure in mind, and this team has been unfazed by it all season. They won’t fold with the series on the line. Berube has the team buying in and playing two-way hockey, yet one of the subtle ways he’s made an impact is by not overworking the stars. Consider this: last year in the first round, Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, and John Tavares all averaged 19 minutes of ice time or more. This season, only Matthews and Marner are above that mark. Instead, Berube’s relied on depth to win this series, and that’s what’s happened with Max Domi and Simon Benoit finding the back of the net for overtime victories. It leads to the other reason the Maple Leafs are different. This season, they are led by their defence and goaltending. They can shut the door on opponents in games and have done so all season. They’ll look to do just that against the Senators in Game 5 in front of the home crowd.