LEAFS-SENATORS: Explaining the basics of the Battle of Ontario
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It was instant combustion when the Ottawa Senators were added to the NHL mix in 1992.
Two teams in the same province, the country’s biggest city and the Nation’s Capital already having a long history trying to out-shine each other before one puck was fired in what quickly became known as The Battle of Ontario.
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The Sens were launched at a time the Rough Riders’ football rivalry with the Argonauts was waning, beating the odds to get an expansion franchise that immediately challenged the Leaf dominance in English-speaking areas east and north of Kingston.
It was a feud rooted in the original Senators, who folded in 1934 and reached its zenith in four intense series between 2000-04. But things have been too quiet since for players and fans on either side of the divide and this week’s first round series has awakened the spirits.
Who coined the term Battle of Ontario?
“I can’t remember, but it has to be the most boring and basic nickname for such a big rivalry,” laughed long-time Leafs radio play-by-play man Joe Bowen.
Nor could Ottawa sources pin down who in Bytown might have come up with the monicker either. The Postmedia digital library’s first reference to the term was in 1996, when the ‘Battle’ was a few years old, written by the late Toronto Sun columnist Glen ‘Coach’ Cole.
How have previous Battles of Ontario unfolded?
Not great if you live in or around the Ottawa Valley.
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In the four best-of-seven series, Toronto has won them all. The Sens lost just about every way possible, swept in four and twice falling in the seventh game.
What happened during the 2001 series with Harry Neale?
The former NHL/WHA coach and popular Hockey Night in Canada analyst, was paired with legendary play-by-play man Bob Cole.
The Mayor of Ottawa at the time, Bob Chiarelli, shared the narrow local view that the HNIC was openly favouring the Leafs. It was part of an alleged larger narrative that Toronto represented better national TV ratings in future series.
It didn’t help that Don Cherry often professed his love of the Leafs on the Coach’s Corner segment.
The National Post reached Neale before the series started for reaction to Chiarelli and got an earful as he vehemently denied any favouritism.
“And if it isn’t good enough for Ottawa, they can take a big bite of my ass,” Neale snapped.
The quote became as big as the series itself. Despite Chiarelli’s comments and his vow Ottawa would win, Toronto triumphed by that margin.
“We’d prefer not to hear this kind of thing,” Neale added. “The story is about what’s happening on the ice between the two teams.”
Why is Ricard Persson such a key figure for Ottawa?
We take you to Game 6 of the ‘02 series. The Sens held a 2-0 lead at home in the first period, a great chance to eliminate the Leafs that night.
Swedish defenceman Persson, who was replacing injured Zdeno Chara, hardly fit the role of a goon. But he hit Leafs enforcer Tie Domi from behind. Jokingly considered to having the hardest head in the NHL that had absorbed hundreds of punches through the years, Domi’s brow was cut open when it struck the top edge of the boards.
The bloody mess made it easy for the officials to called a major boarding penalty and game misconduct on Persson. The Leafs scored twice on the power play, came back for a 4-3 win and won Game 7 in Toronto, 3-0.
How many NHL games did Persson play after that series?
He was in Game 7, but didn’t get back in the NHL again. He spent the next six years in Europe, and did get a Cup, albeit the German club championship with the Berlin Polar Bears.
Who were the prominent players in other previous series?
Mats Sundin, Steve Thomas, Bryan McCabe and Tomas Kaberle played big minutes in almost every ‘Battle’ for Toronto, while Daniel Alfredsson, Jason Spezza, Chris Phillips and Wade Redden were factors for Ottawa.
Darcy Tucker had once jumped into the Ottawa bench in a regular season game to get at belligerent Chris Neil, a highlight frequently used when hyping this year’s series.
But Sens’ captain Alfredsson definitely got under the Leafs skin for a hard hit from behind on Tucker in 2002. It went unpenalized, leading to his go-ahead goal, a 4-2 victory and 3-2 series lead. The angry Leafs came back to win and Alfredsson was booed for years after whenever he touched the puck in Toronto.
During one playoff game, Sundin broke his stick on a clear shot and in a fit of anger, whipped the busted half into the home seats. It triggered a little-called penalty and Alfredsson later piqued the Buds in an ensuing game when he fake tossed his own shattered shaft into the stands to mock Sundin.
Did Leaf goalie Curtis Joseph fight a referee?
In the 2000 series, a Rob Zamuner point shot eluded Joseph who’d been screened when Alfredsson did a fly-by through his crease.
Outraged and believing he’d been interfered with (before the league was more vigilant about such matters), Joseph stormed after ref Mick McGeough. The latter fell as Joseph got close and they wound up in an on-ice embrace. There were calls for an ejection and suspension of Cujo, but after the NHL reviewed the incident, he was assessed only a misconduct and stayed in to win the series.
How many Toronto-Ottawa playoff games went to overtime?
Five. Toronto won the first four on goals by Sundin, Thomas and Cory Cross, while Gary Roberts struck in triple overtime. Mike Fisher had one for Ottawa, which is to date the Sens last playoff win over the Leafs.
Are people as heated for the battle this year?
It never really ebbed in the ensuing 21 years.
Once the Leafs fell on hard times in the mid-2000s, Ottawa reached its first Stanley Cup final in 2007, though lost to Anaheim. As the Leafs rebuilt the past decade, Ottawa missed the playoffs seven consecutive seasons.
The cities’ sharp differences are spoofed in a TV commercial where fans poke fun at each other, Ottawa for its reserve as a sleepy government town, Toronto chirped for its notorious traffic.
There have even been spats between journalists in each city. New Senators owner Michael Andlauer has certainly done his part to revive his team and the feud, including an attempt to limit Leafs fans from their customary regular-season mass rally in the Canadian Tire Centre.
How does the Battle of Ontario compare with, say, the Battle of Alberta?
As part of the ‘Un-Civil War’, both the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames have won a lot more Cups than Leafs and Sens and certainly each have appeared in many more finals.
It’s considered by some the best rivalry outside the NHL’s Original Six, in part because, like Toronto-Ottawa, they’re not a long drive apart and there’s lots of fan interaction, not to mention scraps on the ice.
But with higher population bases, more media and the TV-friendly Eastern broadcast times, Leafs-Senators garner more national interest.
Who will be the heroes and villians in this Battle?
Toronto captain Auston Matthews debuted in the NHL with a four-goal game in Ottawa in 2016, but the Sens will want to get in his face and those of Mitch Marner and William Nylander.
The Leafs don’t have a Tucker or Roberts this time and winger Max Domi is more skilled than his dad, but the Leafs grew tougher organically, especially on their blueline.
But the in-your-face Senators take their cue from antagonistic Brady Tkachuk as well as some hungry young forwards. They have the creative Tim Stutzle and a defence that likes to get involved in the rush.
Are there any other Toronto-Ottawa connections?
Sens coach Travis Green played for the Leafs in the 2000s and was in one of the Ottawa series, team president Steve Staios was once in the Leafs hockey office, as was senior VP Dave Poulin.
Leaf assistant coach Marc Savard was born in Ottawa.
Who is going to win this battle?
If the playoff version of the Leafs that new coach Craig Berube and staff worked on all season shows up, they win in six games. But if Toronto’s stars don’t come out to play, a frequent spring malaise, then it’s going seven with a likely upset.
Ottawa accomplished a huge goal making the playoffs, but as underdogs, want to add a first round upset and erase some history.
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