If the Maple Leafs can’t win the Battle of Ontario, they won’t likely thrive in the Battle of the Atlantic.
And that will have more consequences in the Eastern Conference when the eight playoff spots are decided in April.
Toronto, clinging to eighth place, came up short on another big test Saturday at the Air Canada Centre, missing leading scorer Mitch Marner but needing a win against the Ottawa Senators to even the season series and reverse some Saturday night setbacks against other division rivals. The Sens won 6-3, the result padded by two empty-netters.
The excitement factor was there as the Leafs came back from a two-goal hole and held a lead but gave it back as the third period wore on and the low-octane Ottawa offence somehow produced 40 shots on the defence-challenged home side.