<p><a href="https://theleafsnation.com/">Toronto Maple Leafs</a> forward John Tavares said he was cleared by the concussion spotter to <a href="https://theleafsnation.com/news/knee-jerk-reaction-ottawa-senators-force-toronto-maple-leafs">re-enter Game 4</a> after taking a hit to the head from Ottawa Senators defenceman Artem Zub.</p>
<p>Tavares missed a few shifts during overtime, but returned to the game.</p>
<p>Here is the play in question:</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">alright, standard set <a href="https://t.co/xRKrSqtnHA">pic.twitter.com/xRKrSqtnHA</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Omar (@TicTacTOmar) <a href="https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1916311451700002959?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 27, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Tavares was clearly unhappy about the hit and voiced his frustrations to reporters Monday.</p>
<p>&#8220;Pretty obvious what happened on the play. Puck’s nowhere near me. But just move on from it. Go out there and keep competing and trust that the refs are going to make the right calls,&#8221; Tavares said via <a href="https://twitter.com/markhmasters/status/1916888656935018705">TSN&#8217;s Mark Masters</a>.</p>
<p>Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube also voiced his displeasure about Zub&#8217;s infraction.</p>
<p>&#8220;I don&#8217;t like the hit. Puck is nowhere near him. Looked like a head shot to me,&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/koshtorontosun/status/1916887263109091362">Berube said Monday</a>.</p>
<p>Tavares is in the middle of a resurgent season, where he posted 38 goals and 74 points in 75 games, and his form has carried into the playoffs, recording three goals and five points against the Senators. He&#8217;s been an integral part of the Maple Leafs during his tenure with the club, and he&#8217;s arguably been the team&#8217;s best player at 5-on-5 since the 4 Nations Face-Off break. Tavares is centring Toronto&#8217;s second line with Pontus Holmberg and William Nylander on the wings, where they&#8217;ve outscored the Senators 2-0 at 5-on-5, with a 48 percent share of the expected goals via Natural Stat Trick.</p>
<p>Toronto is looking to close out the Battle of Ontario, hosting Ottawa for Game 5 on Tuesday. Tavares has been essential to the <a href="https://theleafsnation.com/news/resetting-top-essential-toronto-maple-leafs-scorching-power-play">Maple Leafs&#8217; power play</a>, where he&#8217;s been a menace in the bumper spot, crashing down as a genuine power forward to clean up rebounds, while looking for his own shot in the slot. It&#8217;s been a chippy series, as one would expect, and the Leafs will surely be aware of the Senators trying to throw them off their game with physicality and some after-the-whistle skirmishes.</p>
<p>It was an eventful practice session for the Maple Leafs, but Berube is being mindful of giving his players some much-needed rest throughout the playoffs. Auston Matthews was granted a rest day, while Joseph Woll missed practice due to illness.</p>
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<a href="https://theleafsnation.com/">Toronto Maple Leafs</a> forward John Tavares said he was cleared by the concussion spotter to <a href="https://theleafsnation.com/news/knee-jerk-reaction-ottawa-senators-force-toronto-maple-leafs">re-enter Game 4</a> after taking a hit to the head from Ottawa Senators defenceman Artem Zub.

Tavares missed a few shifts during overtime, but returned to the game.

Here is the play in question:

https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1916311451700002959

Tavares was clearly unhappy about the hit and voiced his frustrations to reporters Monday.

"Pretty obvious what happened on the play. Puck’s nowhere near me. But just move on from it. Go out there and keep competing and trust that the refs are going to make the right calls," Tavares said via <a href="https://twitter.com/markhmasters/status/1916888656935018705">TSN's Mark Masters</a>.

Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube also voiced his displeasure about Zub's infraction.

"I don't like the hit. Puck is nowhere near him. Looked like a head shot to me," <a href="https://x.com/koshtorontosun/status/1916887263109091362">Berube said Monday</a>.

Tavares is in the middle of a resurgent season, where he posted 38 goals and 74 points in 75 games, and his form has carried into the playoffs, recording three goals and five points against the Senators. He's been an integral part of the Maple Leafs during his tenure with the club, and he's arguably been the team's best player at 5-on-5 since the 4 Nations Face-Off break. Tavares is centring Toronto's second line with Pontus Holmberg and William Nylander on the wings, where they've outscored the Senators 2-0 at 5-on-5, with a 48 percent share of the expected goals via Natural Stat Trick.

Toronto is looking to close out the Battle of Ontario, hosting Ottawa for Game 5 on Tuesday. Tavares has been essential to the <a href="https://theleafsnation.com/news/resetting-top-essential-toronto-maple-leafs-scorching-power-play">Maple Leafs' power play</a>, where he's been a menace in the bumper spot, crashing down as a genuine power forward to clean up rebounds, while looking for his own shot in the slot. It's been a chippy series, as one would expect, and the Leafs will surely be aware of the Senators trying to throw them off their game with physicality and some after-the-whistle skirmishes.

It was an eventful practice session for the Maple Leafs, but Berube is being mindful of giving his players some much-needed rest throughout the playoffs. Auston Matthews was granted a rest day, while Joseph Woll missed practice due to illness.
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John Tavares cleared by concussion spotter to re-enter Game 4 vs. Senators

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