With their season on the line and the pressure mounting, Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk delivered a performance for the ages. In a dominant 4–0 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 5 of the first-round Stanley Cup Playoff series, Tkachuk not only kept the Senators alive, he made franchise history.

Tkachuk became the first player in Senators playoff history to record three points in an elimination game. The 25-year-old forward racked up a goal and two assists in a commanding performance that energized both his teammates and the home crowd at Scotiabank Arena.

From the opening puck drop, the Senators looked locked in. Tkachuk assisted on Ottawa’s first goal midway through the opening frame, setting up defenseman Thomas Chabot with a clean feed from behind the net. In the second period, he added another primary assist, finding Tim Stützle in stride for a slick top-shelf finish that made it 2–0.

Brady Tkachuk capped off his night with an empty-net goal late in the third period, icing the game and writing his name in the team’s playoff record books. The captain also threw five hits and was a physical force throughout the game, exactly what the Senators needed with their backs against the wall.

Related Ottawa Senators NewsArticle continues below
3 early predictions for Senators offseason after Maple Leafs series loss
3 early predictions for Senators offseason after Maple Leafs series loss
3 Senators trade targets after Maple Leafs series loss
3 Senators trade targets after Maple Leafs series loss
Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Max Pacioretty (67) battles for the puck with Ottawa Senators defenseman Nikolas Matinpalo (33) in the third period during game five of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena.
Senators sign reliable defenseman to two-year extension

While Tkachuk led the offense, goaltender Linus Ullmark was perfect between the pipes. The veteran netminder stopped all 27 shots he faced, earning his first career postseason shutout and keeping Toronto off the scoreboard despite several high-danger chances. The Senators’ penalty kill also came up big, going a perfect 3-for-3 and frustrating a Maple Leafs power play that had clicked earlier in the series.

The Senators now trail the series 3–2 but have clawed back from a 3–0 hole with two straight wins. Game 6 shifts to Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, where the team will look to ride this momentum and force a Game 7 in the Battle of Ontario.

Tkachuk’s historic performance not only extended the Senators’ season but also gave them life. With his leadership, grit, and timely scoring, Ottawa suddenly looks like a team that believes anything is possible. And if Brady Tkachuk has anything to say about it, this series is far from over.