Simon Benoit stood frozen for a second, unsure how to respond.
The Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman had just launched a shot through traffic early in overtime — and moments later, he was swarmed by teammates celebrating the biggest goal of his career.
Benoit’s tally just 1:19 into the extra frame lifted the Leafs to a thrilling 3-2 win over the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night, giving Toronto a dominant 3-0 advantage in their first-round playoff series. With the win, they moved within one game of clinching the series and claiming another victory in the storied Battle of Ontario.
“I just lifted both arms and didn’t move,” Benoit recalled. “Then I saw all the guys skating toward me. Amazing feeling.”
The winning play began with Leafs captain Auston Matthews winning an offensive zone faceoff — part of Toronto’s dominance in the circle once again — and ended with Benoit’s shot slipping past Senators netminder Linus Ullmark.
Leafs head coach Craig Berube praised the 27-year-old’s effort: “It’s always great when a guy like that scores a big goal. Benny’s been rock-solid defensively, tough to play against. Couldn’t be happier for him.”
Matthews also had a standout performance, notching a goal and an assist. Matthew Knies scored Toronto’s other goal, while goaltender Anthony Stolarz made 18 saves to earn his 11th consecutive win since March 20.
For the Senators, Claude Giroux had a goal and an assist, and Brady Tkachuk found the back of the net late in regulation to force OT. Ullmark finished with 17 saves.
Toronto took the first two games of the series — a 6-2 rout followed by a tighter 3-2 overtime win — and once again edged out Ottawa in Game 3. The Senators will now fight to avoid a sweep when they host Game 4 on Saturday, marking their second straight home playoff game after years of rebuilding.
“We’re not going to fold,” Senators head coach Travis Green vowed. “We’ll be ready.”
Benoit, who signed with the Leafs last season as a physical depth option, has emerged as a surprising offensive contributor this postseason. He assisted on Max Domi’s Game 2 winner and has shown growth after a rough start to the 2024–25 campaign.
Off the ice, Benoit’s year has been life-changing. He and his girlfriend welcomed their first child in September, and he admitted that juggling new responsibilities impacted his play early on. But Toronto’s staff supported him through the transition.
“It’s been a long process,” Benoit shared. “After Christmas, I finally found balance. My baby’s amazing, and my girlfriend’s been incredible.”
The Senators were competitive throughout, especially in the last two games, but now face elimination. A critical area they’ll need to address is faceoffs, where the Leafs held a massive 63% advantage on Thursday.
“They’ve just been a bit sharper than us,” said Giroux. “We’ve been good all year in the dot — we’ve just got to dig deeper.”
Matthews, who had been quiet through the first two games, opened his account with a laser on the first shift of the third period, finishing off a slick setup from Mitch Marner. That gave Toronto a short-lived lead until Tkachuk responded with a blistering shot off the rush with 8:38 remaining, tying the game and energizing the crowd at Canadian Tire Centre.
“At that point, I thought we were going to win,” said Tkachuk. “It felt like it was ours to take.”
Earlier, Giroux put Ottawa ahead 1-0 with a power-play goal during a 5-on-3 early in the second. But the Leafs answered with a fortunate bounce later in the period when Knies’ centering pass deflected off Ottawa forward Shane Pinto and slid past Ullmark.
Still, it would be Benoit — a player better known for his grit than goals — who delivered the winner.
“In the playoffs, it’s not always the stars,” Benoit said with a grin. “That might be the second-biggest goal I’ve ever scored — the first was probably in minor hockey.”
