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Senators’ Travis Green credits special teams, Linus Ullmark as keys to Game 5 victory
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Photo credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
Dylan Nazareth
Apr 30, 2025, 08:00 EDTUpdated: Apr 30, 2025, 00:41 EDT
Two games ago, the Battle of Ontario looked all but put away for the Toronto Maple Leafs as they held a 3-0 series lead.
This isn’t the case anymore, as the Ottawa Senators put together back-to-back wins in Games 4 and 5 to send the series back to the nation’s capital with a chance to tie it up and force Game 7.
After Tuesday night’s 4-0 victory, Senators head coach Travis Green spoke to media about what’s gone right for his team since they were pushed to the brink of elimination last week. From his perspective, this series has been close all the way through, and now it’s just about his young, playoff green group finding their footing in this new territory.
“It’s been a tight series,” Green said. “I mean, I don’t think it’s just these last two games, we played pretty well the two games before that. But I do think that our individual game and collectively our game has gotten better. I think part of it is just from not playing in the playoffs before, and feeling a little more comfortable.”
So far, the story of the series has been the special teams. Toronto managed five power-play goals through the first three games of the series, but failed to capitalize on the man advantage in Games 4 and 5, while conceding two short-handed markers. Speaking about their special teams, Green credited his group’s work in flipping the script on a strong Toronto roster.
“It’s been a big part of the series,” Green said. “Obviously they’ve got an extremely skilled team and a really good power play, and they were on fire at the beginning. [Nolan Baumgartner] has done a great job with our penalty kill. As far as the specifics, I don’t want to get into that.”
Speaking of flipping the script, Ottawa goaltender Linus Ullmark allowed 12 goals through the first three games, but now has back-to-back wins, including his first career playoff shutout Tuesday night. After the game, Green praised the Vezina-winning goaltender.
“Not surprising,” Green said, of Ullmark’s 29-save performance. “I feel like I’ve been talking about Linus a lot this series and we’ve got a lot of confidence in him and he was sharp again tonight.”
With momentum clearly shifting in Ottawa’s direction after Toronto came out hot to start the series, the Leafs will now hit the road desperate to put this series away and avoid yet another Game 7 nailbiter.

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