OTTAWA — Finally, a Battle of Ontario with meaning.
As the Ottawa Senators prepare to face off Saturday against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Round 1 of the provincial rivalry, there's two points on the line that will come in handy when the NHL hands out playoff spots at the final buzzer in April.
After a trip to the Eastern Conference final for the first time in a decade this past spring, the Senators are trying to get back to the playoffs again while the Leafs, led by superstar centre Auston Matthews, look like they could be on the verge of something special after getting off to a 6-1-0 start.