Arun Srinivasan

@Arunthings

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Core Four, plus Pacioretty will rightfully get the headlines tonight but I thought Simon Benoit submitted another terrific performance in a closeout game. Unsung — well, maybe sung — hero of the series.

1:36 AM · May 2, 2025

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Here are five takeaways from Maple Leafs’ victory over the Senators

• Happy birthday, William Nylander! Nylander led the way with two goals, including an empty-netter to seal the victory in the final minute of the contest. He was at his best as a constant shot-creator, and used his speed to put the Senators on their heels. Nylander led the series with three goals and nine points, and this was his best performance of the playoffs thus far. He brought out the best in John Tavares and Max Pacioretty, and the threat of his shot froze the Senators’ defence consistently. It was Nylander who said ‘good teams find their way out’ when the Leafs were on a three-game losing streak in January. With this closeout game almost serving as a referendum on the Core Four itself, Nylander was at his best. Good teams find their way out indeed. And to think he was almost ineligible due to a lineup error! 
• Auston Matthews was facing the most criticism of the Core Four, following an awful Game 5, and he more than delivered in the closeout game. Matthews beat Linus Ullmark with a well-timed changeup on the power play to give the Leafs a 1-0 lead entering the first intermission and he didn’t look back from there. He won 73 percent of his faceoffs, and helped his line retain possession throughout the game. Matthews was excellent on the penalty kill, he threw three hits and he skated through contact well, as the Senators continued to force the Leafs to the outside. It was an excellent response in a closeout game, and head coach Craig Berube gave his captain his flowers post-game. “Our captain led the way. Work ethic and competitiveness the whole game, high-end. I don’t know what his face-off percentage is right now, but it’s high. I didn’t see him lose too many draws. It starts there, and just heavy physical work, competing. Touched all areas of the game for us tonight in a good way. PK, power play, obviously scored a big goal.”
• Max Pacioretty justified his spot in the lineup with the series-winning goal, along with a team-high seven hits. Pacioretty was fully engaged and he set up Nylander’s first goal, when he hounded Nick Jensen to force a turnover, before Nylander beat Linus Ullmark cleanly. Although some wanted Pacioretty off the second line in favour of Bobby McMann, he did what was asked of him and scored arguably one of the most timely goals of his decorated career. He rewarded Berube’s faith in him, and considering that he made the Leafs on a professional tryout agreement coming out of training camp, it was an emotional scene for Pacioretty. “Yeah, I’ve had a lot of conversations with people in my family and others, and I thought I was done playing a number of times,” Pacioretty said post-game. “And everyone always supported me to keep going. But my story is just one of many and it’s one that’s public, so it’s one that’s talked about, but a lot of resilient guys in this organization have been through a lot as well. So guys like that motivate me to keep going.”
• The unsung hero of the series: Simon Benoit! Benoit didn’t register a point in Game 6, but he was excellent as a point-of-attack defender, he won puck battles and used his physicality without sacrificing position. His form has ascended to a new level since March, and Benoit was outstanding throughout the series for the Maple Leafs. He set up Max Domi’s overtime winner in Game 2, scored his own winner in Game 3 and he did everything that could be asked of him in Game 6, keeping the Senators at bay throughout the series. Florida will pose an imposing, physical challenge and Benoit will be asked to meet the occasion, while refusing to back down from the reigning champs.
• Another unsung hero from Game 6: Scott Laughton! Laughton came up with a massive shot-block in the final minute of the game, which set up Nylander’s empty-netter. Laughton has found his footing on the fourth line, he was excellent on the penalty kill, and while there are some who still want to litigate the acquisition cost, he was a plus-asset for the Maple Leafs throughout the series. Laughton didn’t receive a single offensive zone faceoff to start Game 6, and he played the brand of hockey that Berube wants to see from his defence-first team. “What a block by Laughton at the end of the game. That’s laying it on the line. That’s how you win a series,” Berube said of Laughton post-game.

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