The Battle of Ontario is heating up again, and it feels just like old times.
Sunday night’s playoff opener between the Maple Leafs and Senators erupted into chaos in the final minute, with Toronto cruising to a 6-2 win that turned into something much spicier.
With 43 seconds left, the gloves came off. Players paired up, tempers flared, and right in the middle of it all was Max Domi – bringing back memories for longtime fans who watched his dad Tie Domi stir up trouble in these same matchups 20 years ago.
It’s a rivalry that defined hockey in Ontario during the late 1990s and early 2000s. The Leafs and Sens met four times in the playoffs back then, and each series was packed with bad blood and highlight-reel moments.
Like father, like son. Max seems to have inherited his dad’s knack for getting under opponents’ skin in big games. Tie was famous for his role as Toronto’s enforcer during those heated playoff battles against Ottawa.
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Two decades later, there’s still no love lost between these teams.
And if Game 1 is any indication, this series might just recapture some of that old Battle of Ontario magic.
