“Yeah, it’ll be cool,” said Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews, on the team’s first-round challenge for the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs. After 20 long years, the Battle of Ontario will treat hockey fans to a seven-game thriller in the postseason. Naturally, the excitement was high. However, contrary to Matthews’ statement, it wasn’t cool at all at the Scotiabank Arena ahead of Game 1.

With a formidable 52-26-4 record and 108 points, the Leafs clinched the top seed in the Atlantic Division, while the Senators came in fourth with 45-30-7 record (97 points) to receive a wild card entry for the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs. But hey, numbers don’t matter when the two Canadian giants take to the ice against each other. But the hype around the match-up might have been a little too high, so much so that even the stadium couldn’t keep its cool.

The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta took to X on April 20 to share information on why some fans might not be getting their 300-level seats at the Scotiabank Arena for the Leafs vs. Senators Stanley Cup playoff match. “There was a fire inside the 300 level of Scotiabank Arena, and part of the concourse is temporarily closed,” Pagnotta elaborates, while mentioning that the fire department authorities have rushed to the scene to get the fire under control. He also assured that the fans’ inconvenience would end soon.

Whenever these two Eastern Conference heavyweights collide, it’s always a heated affair. But no one expected things to get literal for the very second game day of the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs. The fire prompted the concourse to be temporarily closed. Thankfully, the action on the ice didn’t take too long before getting back on course. College of Sports Media’s Coty Wiles also hopped on X to share more details about the situation.

“Pretty smoky in the 300’s,” Wiles wrote in his social media update from Sunday. Thankfully, though, no injuries were reported, and the game went on, and the hosts came out on top with a thunderous 6-2 victory over the Senators. However, while the first match of the Stanley Cup playoffs did go the Leafs’ way, how could the seven-game series finally turn out for Matthews & Co.?

The Stanley Cup playoffs are off to a flying start amid Leafs desperation to win

Ottawa defeated Toronto thrice in the regular season, making things worrisome for any Maple Leafs fan. On the other hand, Craig Berube‘s boys have won all the matches between the Ontario powerhouses’ last four Stanley Cup postseason clashes. But the Sens have found themselves in the playoffs for the first time since 2017, having secured the berth as the first wild-card entry from the Eastern Conference. With all these in mind, it suffices to say the stakes are high, just like every time these two have locked horns.

“It’s awesome. I mean, we’d be happy with anyone, but I feel like everyone wants the Battle of Ontario. So, they’re going to get it and it should be a good one,” Ottawa’s star forward Drake Batherson said after learning who the squad would face off against in the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs. However, taking into account that this is the Leafs’ 10th straight postseason appearance, Batherson and his posse might need to buckle up for a bumpy ride ahead.

Ottawa HC Travis Green admitted, “It’s going to be a tough matchup,” and the Leafs’ stars have a lot of contributions to his squeamish thoughts. Forward Mitch Marner of Toronto has raked up a career-high 100 points in the regular season, while goalie Joseph Woll has posted a fantastic .909 save percentage. But again, as we said before, numbers will hardly matter when the Battle of Ontario commences. While Matthews does have sneering comments flying at him, his squad has proved well in the regular season that they aren’t a side to discount at any cost.

So, who do you think will triumph after the Stanley Cup first round? After today’s defeat, can the Sens make a comeback? Or is Toronto looking too determined to compensate for its regular-season embarrassment against the Senators? Tell us in a comment!