Had the attempt by Toronto forward Auston Matthews gone in the net early in overtime instead of clanking the pipe, the Maple Leafs would have won the game and celebrated their first four-game postseason sweep since 2001. It would have propelled them to the second round and a date with either the Florida Panthers or Tampa Bay Lightning.

Jake Sanderson’s overtime goal at 17:42 of the extra period gave the Senators a 4-3 victory, staving off elimination and forcing a Game 5 in Toronto on Tuesday. Sanderson played a key role, contributing both a goal and an assist for the Sens, who were outshot 35-22.

There were mounting expectations that Jake Sanderson would take a step forward during the 2024-25 season, as was the case for just about all of his Ottawa Senators teammates. When Sanderson wasn’t meeting his expectations,