It may be the preseason opener, but the Battle of Ontario has resumed in full force.

After the Toronto Maple Leafs raced out to a 3-0 lead during the first period, the Ottawa Senators were looking for any source of motivation. Maple Leafs defenceman Marshall Rifai was a wrecking ball throughout the opening forty minutes, and drew the ire of his opponents after an open-ice hit on Ridly Greig.

Rifai became a target and eventually, he would drop the gloves against Senators winger Zack MacEwen. MacEwen landed a ton of shots early in the fight, but Rifai battled back, eventually wrestling his opponent to the ice.

During last year’s training camp, Rifai was lauded by Auston Matthews for his work ethic. Rifai spent the 2024-25 campaign with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, recording three goals and 13 points in 63 games.

It will be an uphill battle for Rifai to make the Maple Leafs, but he played two games with the NHL club during the 2023-24 season. He was called up several times by the Maple Leafs due to a wave of injuries, bur was never called into action last year. Rifai was partnered with William Villeneuve for Sunday’s game, and Villeneuve scored Toronto’s third goal of the contest. Rifai signed a two-year extension last fall, which kicks in for the upcoming season, and his physical style of play has certainly endeared himself within the organization.

Rifai also made headlines during last year’s preseason slate, after squaring off against Montreal Canadiens forward Juraj Slafkovsky during a heated fight.

Toronto held a 4-2 commanding lead through the second intermission, against an Ottawa side that was playing the majority of its NHL roster, with Jake Sanderson as the lone notable scratch.

It’s a new season, but there’s clearly bad blood between the divisional rivals after the Maple Leafs eliminated the Senators in six games last year. Toronto will host Ottawa on Tuesday at Scotiabank Arena.