Playoff hockey makes long-awaited return to Ottawa

OTTAWA – April 24, 2025 — Ottawa fans celebrate their first goal during second period action during game three of the series at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa Thursday. TONY CALDWELL, Postmedia. Photo by Tony Caldwell /PostmediaArticle content

Coming from far and wide, Senators fans brought passion to the Battle of Ontario

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Regardless of the final score, Game 3 was always destined to be a smashing success for the Ottawa Senators and their fans.

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Thousands — mostly clad in red and black — packed the plaza outside the Canadian Tire Centre long before puck drop. Inside the arena, chants of “Go Sens Go” and “Leafs Suck” echoed through the stands a full hour before the game began.

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Down 2-0 in the series but finally back on home ice, the Senators knew the crowd would be a factor.

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“I expect it to be as loud of a rink as I’ve ever heard,” captain Brady Tkachuk said Thursday morning. “I know it’s been a long time coming for Sens fans … this is a moment when we’re really going to need them.

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“It’s been a dream of mine ever since I stepped foot in Ottawa to see the white rally towels in the Canadian Tire Centre.”

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Defenceman Jake Sanderson said he’s felt the support everywhere — from grocery store aisles to city sidewalks.

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“People are pretty fired up about what we’ve done this year, and I think that’s the standard now,” he said. “They’re excited about our success, but we want to give more to this city.”

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The fanfare extended far beyond the capital. Connor Sullivan took a red-eye flight from Saint John, N.B., to attend Games 3 and 4 with his cousin Mike, who grew up in Ottawa and drove in from Bowmanville, Ont., after picking Connor up in Toronto.

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“It’s been a long time coming,” Mike said. “There’s nothing like it.”

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Connor’s Senators fandom was sparked by Erik Karlsson and cemented during the team’s memorable playoff run to the 2017 Eastern Conference Final.

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“It was the first time my parents let me stay up to watch an overtime game,” he recalled. “Chris Kunitz ended it, but it was the reaction from Sens fans afterward that stuck with me. Nobody expected us to get there, and everyone just rallied around the team.”

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Brothers Ben and Jamie Dejong drove in from Brockville and had been anticipating this moment for years.

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“It’s kind of tough because we’re down 2-0, but it’s awesome to be back here,” Ben said. “This environment’s pretty cool.”

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Among the loudest jeers in Toronto were reserved for Senators forward Ridly Greig, who has quickly become a villain among Leafs fans for his gritty, agitator style. In return, Senators fans had a few names of their own they were eager to heckle.