The Battle of Ontario wasn’t really a battle at all until the 2000 Eastern Conference quarterfinals, if we’re being completely honest.

Although the Ottawa Senators were gaining real legitimacy under head coach Jacques Martin’s supervision, they were no match for the institutional power that surrounded the Toronto Maple Leafs, and it often played out that way on the ice. Ottawa strung together three consecutive playoff appearances under Martin, before squaring off against a first-place Toronto side, with Pat Quinn behind the bench, while Mats Sundin and Curtis Joseph were in peak form.

And this vaunted, instant classic of a series largely belongs to Maple Leafs forward Steve Thomas, for his Game 5 heroics. Thomas was an assistant captain for the Leafs, with a penchant for erratic goal-scoring. He was a two-time 40-goal scorer in the NHL and was looking to prove the skeptics wrong during his second year with the team.

Toronto won the first two games of the series, with Joseph allowing just one goal through the first two games. During a 5-1 victory in Game 2, Thomas scored twice, while Sundin and Darcy Tucker each added their second goal of the series. The rout appeared to be on, but the Senators stormed back into the series with consecutive wins at the Corel Centre, setting the stage for an iconic Game 5.

Earlier in the season, the Maple Leafs hosted the 2000 NHL All-Star Game and the Air Canada Centre (currently named Scotiabank Arena) was a relatively new building that promised a state-of-the-art experience, leaving behind the venerated history of the Maple Leaf Gardens. Thomas provided the first truly iconic moment in the Maple Leafs’ home, and the home crowd almost blew the roof off during his signature game.

After a free-flowing, scoreless first period, the Senators took the lead in the second frame when Joe Juneau ripped home a one-timer past Joseph on an expert, cross-seam feed from Game 4 hero Andreas Dackell. Ottawa controlled the run of play throughout the game, and if expected goals were part of the parlance 25 years ago, it would’ve spelled further disaster for the home side.

Thomas and the Maple Leafs remained undeterred throughout the third period, while Joseph remained calm, cool and collected as he’d been throughout the series. Toronto killed off a potentially lethal high-sticking double-minor from Garry Valk, setting the stage for Thomas to work his magic.

It was a frantic final period, with the Maple Leafs fending off a valiant Senators attack, but Thomas made the most of his opportunity. Sundin entered the offensive zone with four and a half minutes ticking, occupying the opponent’s attention, and dropped the puck back to Thomas, while continuing his drive to the net. Thomas uncorked a laser of a slapshot off the post and in, with the sound of the bar galvanizing an electric Air Canada Centre crowd.

With over five minutes remaining in the first overtime period, Joseph appeared to make a critical blunder, tossing up an errant, no-look back pass behind his net, after Senators defenceman Chris Phillips dumped the puck in on a routine play. Joseph was outstanding throughout the overtime period, as was his Senators counterpart, Tom Barrasso, and his lone blunder went unpunished as the Senators missed the net.

Sundin cleared the errant pack, which took a fortunate bounce over to Sergei Berezin, who raced away on a 2-on-1. Berezin was famously known for his shoot first, second and third mentality. As Thomas raced down the ice, Berezin looked up, tossed a puck at the net which Thomas deflected in for the game-winning goal, changing the tenor of the series and bringing life to a rivalry.

The fireworks immediately went off in the arena (bring it back!) as Thomas was mobbed by his Leafs teammates. Toronto closed out the series in Game 6 in nonchalant fashion, scoring four consecutive goals in the second period.

It’s compelling to reflect upon now, as Bob Cole delivered one of the greatest calls of his career. Cole died in April 2024, Berezin died at 52 in June 2024 which naturally invited reflection upon this instant classic, and their memories live on forever.

Will we get an instant classic of a series this spring? You can only hope so, although the Maple Leafs are comfortable favourites in the 2025 series, but Thomas’ finest hour will forever live in the memories of fans, journalists and the hockey world.