Simon Benoit didn’t know how to celebrate at first. After a simple shot through traffic in overtime, the Maple Leafs defenceman found himself mobbed by teammates. His goal at 1:19 of the extra period sealed a 3-2 win over the Ottawa Senators and gave Toronto a 3-0 lead in their first-round playoff series.
Captain Auston Matthews, who had a goal and an assist, won the crucial faceoff that set up Benoit’s shot past Linus Ullmark. Leafs coach Craig Berube praised Benoit’s strong defensive play and was thrilled to see him score such a pivotal goal.
Matthew Knies also scored for Toronto, while Anthony Stolarz made 18 saves for his 11th straight win. Ottawa’s Claude Giroux and Brady Tkachuk each had a goal and assist, but the Senators now face elimination heading into Game 4.
Benoit, who joined the Leafs last season, has unlocked some offensive potential in these playoffs. After a rough start to the season and balancing new fatherhood, he credited the organization for their support.
The Senators are struggling in the faceoff circle, losing 63% of draws in Game 3. Despite late pressure and Tkachuk’s tying goal in the third, Ottawa couldn’t complete the comeback.
Giroux opened the scoring on a 5-on-3 power play, and Knies evened things up with a deflected power-play goal later in the second. But it was Benoit, typically known for his grit, who delivered the winner.
Elsewhere in the NHL: the Florida Panthers shut out the Lightning 2-0 for a 2-0 series lead, Pavel Buchnevich’s hat trick helped the Blues crush the Jets 7-2 though Winnipeg still leads 2-1, and the Wild beat the Golden Knights 5-2 to go up 2-1.
Source: Swifteradio.com
