Well, that’s not what we wanted to see. The Toronto Maple Leafs dropped Game 5 against the Ottawa Senators by a score of 4-0. That said, the score doesn’t reflect how the game actually went.
Yes, they looked like they lacked killer instinct, but they generated a ton of chances. The first goal by Thomas Chabot, the refs missed what looked like clear interference by Claude Giroux, who stepped into Mitch Marner‘s path—similar to Justin Holl’s penalty against Tampa Bay back in 2022. Even the broadcast called it a “veteran’s move” that Giroux got away with. That non-call led to a point shot that beat Anthony Stolarz clean. He was then beaten on a two-on-one shorthanded chance from Adam Gaudette and Dylan Cozens to make it 2-0. The final two goals came with the net empty, and Ottawa sealed the win 4-0, sending the series back to their barn for Game 6 with Toronto still up 3-2.
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The good news? The Leafs still only need one win to close it out. They can absolutely do it. But before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s dive into a few takeaways from last night’s game.
Power Play Has Cooled Off, Big Time
It’s been the tale of two power plays. In the first few games, Toronto went 6-for-9 and scored three goals in just 38 seconds of power play time. But since then, they’ve fallen flat—0-for-7—and it shows. While they’ve had some good looks, they keep going back to the same two plays that just aren’t working, rather than simply firing pucks on net. Early in the series, they generated rebounds and capitalized on second chances by getting pucks and bodies to the net. Even on their first power play last night, they had six shots and looked dangerous. But from that point on, there was no real adjustments and it hurt their chances in the game.
Between overpassing, Marner trying to set up the slot pass from behind the net, and the constant look for a backdoor feed to Matthew Knies, they burned through multiple power plays. Ones that could’ve tied or even won the game had they just made some adjustments. This has been a familiar problem in recent playoff runs. Even with Marc Savard behind the bench, they still seem reluctant to simplify—get pucks on net and traffic in front of Linus Ullmark. In Game 6, that has to change. If they don’t make life difficult for Ullmark, they’re at serious risk of facing their biggest playoff nightmare: Game 7.
Lineup Changes Are Needed Ahead of Game 6
Many NHL coaches live by “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” and that’s worked before for Craig Berube. But right now? It’s broken—and it needs fixing. The Leafs need to make a few changes ahead of Game 6 to shake things up and inject energy into the lineup. They need urgency, and the best way to spark that is with fresh legs. So what changes should Berube make?
There should be up to three. The defense doesn’t need any tinkering. As for the goaltending, while Joseph Woll could be an option, Stolarz has earned another shot to close it out. Up front is where the tweaks are needed. First, swap out Max Pacioretty for Nick Robertson. Robertson has consistently brought jump when coming back into the lineup and has scored in those returns. He can bring urgency and some spark to the bottom six. Next, while Pontus Holmberg has been decent, he’s been quiet—and David Kämpf should replace him. Faceoffs have been a weakness in key moments the past two games, and Kämpf is one of Toronto’s best in the circle. He’s a situational weapon they need.
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You could also argue that Bobby McMann should come out—he’s been almost invisible. If he stays in, he needs to be put on John Tavares’ line or put back with Max Domi and Robertson. If McMann comes out, there’s a case to bring in Ryan Reaves. Reaves would add a physical element and energy, and his limited minutes would open up more ice time for the Leafs’ top players—especially William Nylander, who been used a lot when there are extra shifts this season. That said, the fourth line of Calle Järnkrok, Steven Lorentz, and Scott Laughton shouldn’t be touched. They’ve been the team’s most consistent line all series. If Reaves draws in, he should rotate on the third line with Domi and whoever is on the opposite wing, which gives Berube flexibility to put other players on that line while using Reaves strategically.
It’s unlikely Berube makes all three changes—but something needs to happen. They need to shake up the forward group and find a way to finish this thing off in Game 6 on the road in Ottawa.
