Whatever could go wrong, did go wrong for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Leafs displayed an absolute brutal performance on Tuesday against the Ottawa Senators, losing 3-0 in a game that wasn’t even close, from start to finish. Frankly, it was the worst game under head coach Craig Berube and one the Maple Leafs’ bench boss would like to forget. The Sens dominated the first Battle of Ontario of the 2024-25 season, and the only Leaf not to blame is goaltender Anthony Stolarz. If it wasn’t for the Leafs’ No. 1 netminder, the Senators could have won by a touchdown.

The Maple Leafs didn’t start on time, they couldn’t complete a simple pass, they showed no sense of urgency, and were outworked by the Senators for the entire 60 minutes. After a defensive breakdown and a terrible backcheck attempt by Max Domi, Senators’ forward Josh Norris opened the scoring just 41 seconds into the game. This was just the beginning for Domi, who had his worst game as a Maple Leaf. Berube was not impressed to say the least, sitting Domi at times throughout the first period, and taking him off the top line. Domi and company heard it from Berube on more than one occasion on Toronto’s bench.

Berube wants the effort level on maximum all the time: regardless if it’s Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, or a random Tuesday night in November. What they displayed at home against their provincial rivals was embarrassing. The Leafs had no legs against the Senators and their run of steam-rolling their Atlantic Division rivals comes to an end, after a three-game win streak last week.

This was the first of four games where missing Auston Matthews was very noticeable. But, even Captain Matthews likely couldn’t have saved them considering the team’s effort level. After a brutal first period, Berube tried to put the lines in a blender to generate a spark, it didn’t help. It actually made things worse.

Connor Dewar made his season debut against the Senators, after missing the first 16 games of the season recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. Dewar played 8:31, blocked two shots, landed three hits, and like most of his Maple Leafs’ teammates, was a non factor.

As for Stolarz, he was lights out in the first period, stopping 16 of 17 shots. He gave up two goals in under a minute in the second period, allowing the Senators to stretch their lead, but both goals had much more to do with defensive breakdowns and bad decisions leading to odd-man rushes. With his strong start to the year, Stolarz continues to put his name in the conversation for Team USA’s third goalie at the 4 Nations Face Off in February.

Stolarz will likely have the night off on Wednesday, when the Maple Leafs travel to Washington to take on the Capitals in the second half of this week’s back-to-backs. Look for Joseph Woll to draw back into Toronto’s crease, but if the Leafs come up short again, it could be an ugly night for Woll against Alex Ovechkin and company.

The Maple Leafs were outshot 40-26. Ryan Reaves may have been the Maple Leafs’ best forward against the Senators, and that’s no offence to Reaves, but that does say something. Bobby McMann has been getting top-six minutes but hasn’t scored since Oct.16. Nick Robertson couldn’t stay on his feet and continues to struggle with just one point in 15 games. Domi had a look in tight for his first goal of the season, he proceeded to heel the puck and hardly got a shot off. When it rains it pours.

Tuesday’s loss to the Senators was rough, plain and simple. It was the first time in three years the Maple Leafs have been shut out at home. Find the tape, burn it, and move on. This was the Maple Leafs worst game of the season, and hopefully an effort level that never shows its ugly face ever again.