February 28, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Toronto Maple Leafs forward Easton Cowan (53) handles the puck past Ottawa Senators defenseman Nick Jensen (3) during the third period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images With their playoff hopes fading, the Toronto Maple Leafs will look to end a three-game losing streak against the visiting Philadelphia Flyers on Monday night.
The Maple Leafs have dropped all three games since returning from the Olympic break and have rarely looked worse than Saturday in a 5-2 loss at home to the Ottawa Senators.
Meanwhile, the Flyers have won two of three since the break after Saturday’s 3-1 home win over the Boston Bruins.
The Flyers and Maple Leafs are both lurking just outside a playoff spot, but Philadelphia is now two points ahead of Toronto.
The Maple Leafs have won both games between the teams this season, but will need a better effort than Saturday’s game, which drew boos from the home crowd.
Despite being on top early in the opening period, the Maple Leafs were outmatched by the faster and more energetic Senators.
“When you look at the game and the show tape, it makes you look at the fact that there is a certain way we need to play the game,” Toronto coach Craig Berube said. “But I can’t give guys this (pointing to chest) or this (pointing to head). That’s on them. They’ve got to come with that. They’ve got to bring the heart and the competitiveness that’s needed. It’s all the little things. We can bring the X’s and O’s. I can just go in there and yell and scream at them all I want. That doesn’t do any good either.”
“We have to take more pride in our play,” Toronto captain Auston Matthews said. “We have to play for each other no matter what. To be honest, it’s bad, it’s pretty embarrassing.”
Toronto goalkeeper Joseph Woll was replaced by Anthony Stolarz in extra time in the second half after allowing five goals.
The Maple Leafs led 16-2 in the first period but somehow tied the game at 1-1. Ottawa led 40-23 in shots on goal for the game before falling behind by four goals in the second period.
“There’s no reason,” said Morgan Rielly, who scored the goal. “We know what’s at stake. We talk about stepping up and playing with urgency and connecting and executing. And then we don’t do it.”
The Flyers have won two straight, including a 3-2 overtime win over the New York Rangers on Thursday.
“We were better (Saturday),” Philadelphia coach Rick Tosche said. “We made some adjustments (defensively). … We felt we had to make changes over the break, and we saw some of those changes tonight. There were some changes from the Rangers game. We’re not perfect yet, but there are some certain things we’ll tweak a little bit for this team. And I thought they did a better job.”
“We’re a confident group,” said Flyers goalie Dan Vladar, who made 26 saves against Boston. “We know it’s in us. We had it at the beginning of the year, but it’s gone to some extent.”
The Flyers didn’t close out the game against Boston until Sean Couturier scored an empty-net goal at 19:07 of the third period. It was the first goal in 32 games.
“I’m going to get them any way I can,” he said. “It feels good, but the most important thing is the win. The win is more important now and that’s my whole focus. Even with that goal, I was still going to give it to (Owen Tippett) if he stepped on me.”
–Field level media
