GOAL: Claude Giroux opens scoring
Follow live coverage of tonight's Game 3 as the Battle of Ontario shifts to Ottawa with the Leafs up 2-0 on the Senators
The Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators are going to overtime of Game 3 in their first-round playoff series. Watch: ESPN2 (U.S.) | Sportsnet/CBC (Canada)
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P2 18:22 - Senators 1, Maple Leafs 0
Ridly Greig goads William Nylander into taking an offensive zone tripping penalty, setting a pick by stepping in front of the Senators forward to give Ottawa a five-on-three power play. The Senators promptly score with Claude Giroux beating a screened Anthony Stolarz. Huge goal.
P2 19:45 - Maple Leafs 0, Senators 0
William Nylander takes a tripping penalty. It's a five-on-three penalty for the Ottawa Senators.
P2 20:00 - Maple Leafs 0, Senators 0
The Maple Leafs and Senators begin the second period of Game 3. Four-on-four action and then an Ottawa powerplay.
Not too long now until the second period of tonight's Game 3. There will be four-on-four hockey to start the period.
Getty Images Dom M.: McMann with 7 hits that period is great to see. Like that line tonight.
McMann with 7 hits that period is great to see. Like that line tonight. John M.: Bad penalty by Knies.
Bad penalty by Knies. Brent S.: Love it when Willy gets physical.
Love it when Willy gets physical. Alex B.: Playoff Nylander is an animal.
Getty Images
Shots:
Hits:
Faceoffs won:
Blocked shots:
Leafs forward Matthew Knies took a penalty at 20:00 of the first period for cross-checking Ridly Greig deep in the offensive zone. Earlier this series, Knies told reporters "it is definitely annoying" watching Greig's on-ice antics. Score another one for the Senators irritant.
Read more below about Greig becoming the "villain" of this series.
GO FURTHER
'Little rat': How Senators' quiet pest Ridly Greig became a hockey villain
P1 0:00 - Maple Leafs 0, Senators 0
After one period, the Maple Leafs and Senators are 0-0. At the end of the period, Matthew Knies takes a cross-checking penalty.
There will be four-on-four hockey to start the second period.
P1 1:18 - Maple Leafs 0, Senators 0
The Maple Leafs head to the powerplay after the Brady Tkachuk penalty. Toronto has four PP goals this series.
P1 3:51 - Maple Leafs 0, Senators 0
Got to admit, I was a little bit surprised William Nylander elected to unleash a slap shot rather than going towards the net on that breakaway chance.
Linus Ullmark easily makes the save. Nylander smiles afterward.
Still 0-0 under four to play in the first period.
P1 4:01 - Maple Leafs 0, Senators 0
Bobby McMann can't quite tip the puck into the back of the net. Linus Ullmark makes the save.
The third line looks a lot more energetic and active tonight.
P1 5:28 - Maple Leafs 0, Senators 0
Five minutes left in the first period. Still a 0-0 game.
Mitch Marner is showing defensive prowess in his own zone, checking Shane Pinto along the boards, which results in a turnover.
The Leafs defensive play continues to shine.
P1 7:24 - Maple Leafs 0, Senators 0
It's Linus Ullmark's turn to make a big save. John Tavares in the high slot fires a wrist shot that Ullmark gobbles up.
Still a 0-0 game. Both goalies playing well so far.
Tim Stützle just had one of the best looks the Senators have created all series, coming off the bench and taking a Drake Batherson pass while skating into the slot. However, Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz came out to the top of his crease to swallow up the Stützle shot. Stolarz is looming large over this series so far.
P1 8:50 - Maple Leafs 0, Senators 0
The best chance of the game belongs to Tim Stützle. He comes through the slot and fires a wrist shot that's denied by Anthony Stolarz.
The Maple Leafs goalie is standing tall. It's still a 0-0 game.
P1 10:31 - Maple Leafs 0, Senators 0
Dylan Cozens fires a wrist shot that's stopped by Anthony Stolarz. It's 0-0 at the first TV timeout of the game.
Take a breather, hockey fans. A fun start to Game 3 with end-to-end action.
P1 13:02 - Maple Leafs 0, Senators 0
John Tavares steps back onto the ice. Toronto successfully kills the Ottawa powerplay.
Not many Grade A chances for the Senators on that powerplay opportunity.
P1 14:11 - Maple Leafs 0, Senators 0
Mitch Marner's effective penalty killing is on display again. He deflects a Brady Tkachuk pass out of the zone, showcasing his active stick.
P1 15:04 - Maple Leafs 0, Senators 0
Brady Tkachuk draws the penalty on four-on-four, courtesy of John Tavares.
It's now four-on-three for 43 seconds. Big opportunity for Ottawa.
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He played like an $11 million player (or more) in each of the six years of his contract, often looking like one of the league's best forwards. If all you care about is the regular season, Marner lived up to his big-ticket contract, scoring at a 102-point pace over his six-year deal with four straight seasons over a 100-point pace. That he reached such a high regular-season level is also what made it so disappointing when he struggled to get there when it really mattered, especially offensively. That part of Marner's game is what got him the big bucks, not his defensive game, and its disappearance in big games was hard for many fans to stomach. Marner earning $1.5-2 million more than he should've as an RFA is money that could've been spent to help bolster Toronto's offensive firepower. Because it went to Marner instead, it's on Marner to be able to deliver to that level when it counts to make up for the team's depth sacrifice. 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It's also in line with what David Pastrnak, a better winger than Marner at the time, signed for (equivalent of $12.9 million over eight years) in 2023. There are a lot of signs pointing to $13 million being the line in the sand between a good and bad deal for Marner. And I'd argue that line should be closer to $12.5 million. But just like his first contract negotiation, it seems as if Marner's camp is posturing for more than he's worth after factoring for aging and cap growth. Credit where credit is due: Marner's camp is using all the leverage he has to get one of the NHL's richest contracts, and all the power to him if he gets it. If Marner's top priority is securing the bag above all else, his camp is doing a fantastic job of negotiating through the media, anchoring and conditioning the public to a huge number that will likely make that quest successful. (Or to paint what's actually fair as a 'discount' to reframe Marner's narrative.) Advertisement It would not be a shock if there was a bidding war on July 1 that got Marner's number up to $13.5 million or even $14 million. It should be noted, too, that $13.5 million is in line with Artemi Panarin's percentage of cap hit six years ago. If that is where Marner's top priority lies, it would create another situation similar to the one he was just in; one that will invite intense scrutiny of his play relative to the size of his contract. It'll be less vociferous in a smaller and quieter market, but it'll still exist to some degree if Marner's sole goal is winning the most money. If his top priority is to win a Stanley Cup, taking less on a team-friendly deal is something Marner should consider — especially if the criticism of his play has bothered him as much as speculated. It's his best avenue to reset expectations, relieve pressure and change his narrative. (And if it's a hometown discount for Toronto, it's also a way for Marner to help repair a fraught relationship with the fan base.) Taking less to win is not a new concept. It's something many of the league's best players (Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, Nikita Kucherov) have done in order to help get their team over the hump. It's also the exact strategy that stood in Toronto's way of the conference final this season with Florida's core all making substantially less than their collective worth. Some of that is a result of no-state tax, yes, but I'd reckon a much larger part is a team-wide understanding of what it takes to win — and the cost of it. That's a domino effect that started at the top with Aleksander Barkov. It's culture more than taxes. It also helps shield the stars from the burden of expectations that a high dollar figure demands. There would likely be a lot more noise (relative to market size, of course) around Sam Reinhart scoring at a 56-point pace over the last three Stanley Cup Final runs (but elevating his game defensively like Marner) if he was making closer to his true value. Having a Cup ring helps, but this year's four goals in 17 playoff games would be a lot more harrowing if he was making $11.5 million instead of $8.6 million, a discount that helped the Panthers afford Brad Marchand, who helps make up the difference. It's a two-pronged effect because there's also less noise the further a team goes, something a hometown discount makes more likely. That's not a luxury the Leafs had with Marner's last deal. If Florida continues to be the team to beat in the East, the only way to get through them is to try and match them. The Panthers were the league's top contract efficiency team last year and that will likely be the case again this year. Those discounts at the top of the lineup create depth in the middle of it. It's been the separating factor between the teams that win and the Leafs for the entirety of Marner's last contract. If he is serious about winning, taking less to do so should be a serious consideration for him because that sacrifice starts with players of his ilk. That thought process applies to the other contenders — Carolina, Vegas — that Marner has been linked to, not just Toronto. Advertisement That's within reason, of course. No one expects Marner to take an $8 million deal with any team, but even a small discount would help signify what matters most to him. That's been the biggest question surrounding him over the last six seasons as a result of his last public contract negotiation, where he earned a deal well above what was expected. The current public negotiation of his next contract has done nothing to dispel the notion. The number Marner ends up signing for will be extremely telling. If it's $13 million or more, it's money that's likely the highest priority. If it's $12 million or less, it would show that Marner is a lot more serious about winning than his current reputation dictates. Where Marner wants public perception of him to lie is in his hands. More money means a higher bar for him to clear. While Marner will have the opportunity to rise above it and prove he's worth every dollar of a big ticket deal, it's not a strength he's proven he possesses. Not when it matters. Data via Evolving-Hockey and AFP Analytics
