nick cousins was part of a Senators team that closed the regular season in a clear upward trend, beating the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-1 on Wednesday in Ottawa. The result capped the final game of the regular season for both teams and left Ottawa headed into the playoffs with confidence, while Toronto finished a difficult stretch on the wrong side of history.
What happens when a team finishes fast and turns the page?
The Senators ended the regular season at 44-27-11 and went 6-1-1 over their final eight games. That late surge matters because it frames the team’s form heading into the Eastern Conference First Round, where Ottawa will meet the Carolina Hurricanes. Even with several veteran players resting for a second straight game, the Senators managed to control large parts of the night and keep the focus on the bigger stage ahead.
Drake Batherson opened the scoring on a power play at 6: 04 of the first period, redirecting a pass from Claude Giroux past Toronto goaltender Dennis Hildeby. Warren Foegele made it 2-0 late in the second period on another power play, and Dylan Cozens added the third Ottawa goal. Giroux finished with two assists, while James Reimer made 19 saves for the Senators.
What if the late-season form carries into the first round?
That is the central question for Ottawa now. The club rested Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle, Michael Amadio, Thomas Chabot and Jake Sanderson, yet still produced a composed win. The message from the lineup was plain: the group has already shifted from regular-season survival mode to playoff mode.
Warren Foegele captured that mood in direct terms, saying the team is now focused on “the fun stuff, ” meaning the chance to chase a Stanley Cup. He also pointed to Carolina as a fast, aggressive and experienced opponent. That makes the matchup a test not just of talent, but of how well Ottawa’s current form translates against a team with repeated postseason experience.
What does Toronto’s finish say about the season?
For the Maple Leafs, the loss extended a seven-game slide to end the regular season, including an 0-6-1 run in that stretch. Toronto finished at 32-36-14 and had already been eliminated from playoff contention before the finale.
William Nylander scored the lone Toronto goal, and Hildeby stopped 35 shots in a game where the Maple Leafs were outshot 26-12 over the first two periods. The numbers show a team that was competitive at times in net, but unable to turn that into enough offense or sustained control.
Coach Craig Berube called the season disappointing and said it did not live up to expectations. Forward Easton Cowan was equally blunt about the finish, stressing that the team now needs a strong summer and a better camp-ready buy-in next season. That leaves Toronto with a familiar challenge: turning frustration into structure before the next training camp opens.
What should readers watch next?
| Stakeholder | What the finale suggests |
|---|---|
| Ottawa Senators | Momentum is real, but the playoff test will be different against Carolina. |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | The season ended with losses, missed expectations, and an early reset. |
| Key role players | Scorers and puck movers like Giroux, Batherson, Cozens and Foegele set the tone. |
The broader takeaway is straightforward: Ottawa enters the postseason with rhythm, rest and a sharpened sense of purpose, while Toronto exits the year with an extended slide and difficult questions. That contrast is what makes the final night matter beyond the standings. For Ottawa, the challenge is to turn this finish into playoff traction. For Toronto, the challenge is to make sure the same ending does not define the next one. In that sense, nick cousins belongs to a team that has already moved on to the next stage, and the real measure will come when the playoffs begin.
