Senators-Maple Leafs to meet in NHL playoffs. Single-game tickets for Sens game go on sale Thursday

Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa on Tuesday, June 13, 2023. (Sean Kilpatrick/THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Ottawa Senators owner Michael Andlauer hopes the Sens Army will drown out Toronto Maple Leafs fans when the Senators and Maple Leafs meet in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Tickets will go on sale for games at Canadian Tire Centre at 12 p.m. Thursday, and Andlauer expects approximately 3,000 seats to be available for single-game sales.

“We were strategic in our approach here and made sure our fans were able to get two extra tickets. Our most loyal fans, to be a season ticket holder, and if you’re going to get two extra tickets…we know that those tickets aren’t going to get resold,” Andlauer told TSN 1200 Wednesday morning.

“Because of the hype that we’ve gained with Ottawa-Gatineau, all of sudden you’re starting to get people wanting to be season-ticket holders.”

“I think we’ll drown out that noise.”

This will be the first time in 21 years the Senators and Maple Leafs meet in the NHL playoffs, when the Leafs beat the Senators in seven games in 2004. The Maple Leafs also won playoff series against Ottawa in 2000, 2001 and 2002.

“I think our fans wouldn’t want it any other way. For that, I’m super excited. The first step, in this building block for the Stanley Cup, was to have a playoff team,” Andlauer said.

“From our fans’ standpoint, I’m excited that it’s in Toronto. That’s what we want

Games one and two of the Senators-Leafs series will be played in Toronto before the series shifts to Ottawa for games three and four. The NHL will announce the schedule for the first-round playoff series later this week.

Andlauer says he’s excited for the first Senators playoff run as owner of the club.

“It’s super gratifying. When I see the reaction of the city, the fans, the buzz in the air…it exceeds my expectations,” Andlauer told TSN during the Senators broadcast Tuesday night. “The objective is to win a Stanley Cup and this is the perfect building block to get there.”

This will be the Senators’ first playoff appearance in eight years. Ottawa lost to Pittsburgh in the Eastern Conference finals in 2017.

Playoff tickets

The Senators announced single-game tickets for the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs will go on sale at 12 p.m. on Thursday.

The Senators say there will be a “limited quantity available for Game 3 and Game 4 at Canadian Tire Centre.”

Andlauer said he’s not concerned Canadian Tire Centre will be full of Maple Leafs fans for games in Ottawa.

“The way we approach it is we give our most loyal fans, the season ticket holders, the opportunity to get two extra tickets before it goes out on sale to the public,” Andlauer said. “It’s been a great reception.”

The owner says the season ticket base has grown through the season.

Andlauer admits he doesn’t like when Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens fans pack Canadian Tire Centre for the rivalry games.

When asked on TSN 1200 to make a prediction for the Senators-Leafs season, Andlauer said, “No.”

Tickets for Senators playoff games will be on sale at www.ticketmaster.ca.

Battle of Ontario history

2024-25 season

• Nov. 12, 2024: Senators beat the Maple Leafs 3-0 in Toronto. Linus Ullmark made 27 saves for the Senators.
• Jan 25, 2025: Senators beat Toronto 2-1 in Ottawa. Shane Pinto scored the game winner.
• March 15, 2025: Senators beat the Maple Leafs 4-2 in Toronto. Claude Giroux scored the game winner for the Senators.

Playoffs

• 2000 playoffs: Maple Leafs beat the Senators 4-2 in conference quarterfinals.
• 2001 playoffs: Toronto beats Ottawa 4-0 in conference quarterfinals
• 2002 playoffs: Maple Leafs beat the Senators 4-3 in conference semifinals
• 2004 playoffs: Maple Leafs beat the Senators 4-3 in conference quarterfinals