Maple Leafs Face Familiar Script Ahead of Game 6 vs. Senators

As the Toronto Maple Leafs prepare for Game 6 against the Ottawa Senators, the hockey world (particularly Leafs Nation) is bracing for what feels like an all-too-familiar storyline: another collapse in the Auston Matthews era. The Leafs, now 1-13 in potential series-clinching games since 2018, have repeatedly written the same tragic playoff script—and fans are wondering if a Game 7 heartbreak is already inevitable.

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Sean McIndoe of The Athletic discussed what feels like never-ending torment in a post on Thursday. From blown leads and overtime heartbreaks to stars not showing up when needed, the Leafs have turned playoff disappointment into an annual tradition. Game 6 feels, in many ways, like a nightmare waiting to happen.

One user on X tried to stay sarcastically positive and wrote, “The Toronto Maple Leafs are in a good spot because: If they win game 6, it makes Game 5 look like an anomaly. If they win Game 7, they finally win in 7 and go into the next series having now slain that demon. If they lose Game 7, management changes galore + goodbye Core 4.

While the Senators have played inspired hockey, it feels like the Leafs’ real opponent might just be themselves. As McIndoe noted, this isn’t about Ottawa—it’s about a Toronto team that consistently finds a way to fall short under pressure. Whether it’s another overtime loss, a third-period collapse, or a flukey bounce ending their season, fans have seen it all before.

Can the Maple Leafs Flip the Script?

Could this time be different? This team is built differently, and coming into the series, insiders pegged that to make all the difference. That said, here the Leafs are again, and history, along with a decade of Leafs futility, suggests fans should remain skeptical.

If the Leafs want to silence the ghosts of playoffs past, it starts with Game 6. Because if they don’t win this series in Game 6, there won’t be a lot of faith they can get the job in a do-or-die situation.

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