The Toronto Maple Leafs are getting set for what’s sure to be an emotional game against the Ottawa Senators on Hockey Night in Canada.

Leafs-Senators games are always emotionally driven to begin with. But when you combine the bad blood left over from their last matchup in Ottawa (it involved Ridly Greig, Morgan Rielly, and a cross-check, not sure if you remember), the fact that Ottawa blanked the Leafs on home ice in November, and the fact that the Senators are competing for a playoff spot this year when they’re normally out of the race come January, there’s potential for some extra fireworks on Saturday night.

The Senators very seldom mail it in for a game against the Leafs. Even in their worst years, the Battle of Ontario fire burns deep, and the Sens approach it with the mindset of ‘if we’re going to win any games at all, make sure it’s this one.’ The Leafs, meanwhile, have struggled in the past with getting up for games against lower-ranked teams, often resulting in throwing away valuable points and hurting their seeding at the end of the season. Head coach Craig Berube is well aware of this and stressed the need for the Leafs to bring those emotions to the table on Saturday night.

The Senators have won four of their last five games against the Maple Leafs, but on the flip side, the Leafs have won four of their previous five games on Ottawa’s home ice. The Leafs also have the advantage of having a fanbase that travels well, always making their presence known at games in Ottawa, Montreal, Buffalo, and Detroit, to name a few. Captain Auston Matthews noted this when talking to the media following Saturday’s morning skate.

“It’s always a fun atmosphere there,” Matthews said. “A lot of blue & white in the stands. I expect it’s going to be loud. It’s going to be rowdy. It’s going to be an intense game.”

The Maple Leafs hold a three-point lead in the Atlantic Division, the latest into the season they’ve occupied the top spot in that division (not including the North Division from the 2020-21 season), and in order to widen the gap on the second-place Florida Panthers and keep Ottawa out of a playoff spot, they need to bring everything they’ve got from an effort standpoint – nothing less.

The Leafs and Senators will get underway at 7 pm Eastern time Saturday night.