The Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs have been rivals for years, and met each other in the Stanley Cup Playoffs multiple times in the early 2000s, all series wins by Toronto.

On Saturday night, the Maple Leafs invaded Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa – but it may as well have been a home game for Toronto, as the sellout crowd was comprised of at least half of fans wearing the blue and white of the Leafs.

The Senators came out on top, beating the Maple Leafs by a 2-1 final score. And the hoards of Leafs fans, which is a routine occurrence in Ottawa, did not go unnoticed by players wearing the Senators colors, via The Hockey News.

“It’s always tough. It always fires the boys up for sure,” said Shane Pinto about the invasion of Leafs fans. “It’s just another hockey game, but it definitely pisses us off a little bit.”

Fittingly, it was Pinto who scored the game-winning goal for the Senators in the third period, as the puck deflected off of his shin and past goaltender Joseph Woll.

The Senators next host the Utah Hockey Club on home ice, and they can be assured that this time around, there will be far more people in attendance rooting for the Senators rather than Utah.

Related Ottawa Senators NewsArticle continues below
Steve Staios in middle looking stern, one silhouetted Ottawa Senators player on each side (no C or A on jersey), hockey rink in background
2 Senators trade candidates after Maple Leafs series loss
President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Steve Staios speaks to the media pprior to match between the Dallas Stars and the Ottawa Senators at the Canadian Tire Centre.
Senators rumors: Ottawa targeting right-shot defenseman this summer
3 early predictions for Senators offseason after Maple Leafs series loss
3 early predictions for Senators offseason after Maple Leafs series loss

The Maple Leafs and Senators have enjoyed varying levels of success in recent years 

Maple Leafs Senators prediction, Maple Leafs Senators pick, Maple Leafs Senators odds, Maple Leafs Senators, NHL Odds

While it's been the Leafs who have enjoyed the bulk of regular season success in the last decade, the Senators have made a handful of postseason runs that also culminated in being a single goal away from the 2017 Stanley Cup Final; since then, the Senators have failed to advance to the postseason.

Meanwhile, the Leafs have qualified for the postseason in every season since Ottawa nearly made the Cup Final, but have advanced to the second round only once.