Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Simon Benoit of Laval, Quebec scored his first National Hockey League career playoff overtime winner on Thursday. He accomplished the feat in a 3-2 Maple Leafs win over the Ottawa Senators at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario. With the win, the Maple Leafs lead the Senators three games to none in the best out of seven Eastern Conference first round playoff series.
Benoit scored the game-winner from Auston Matthews. The goal came at 1:19 of the extra period. Mitch Marner of Markham, Ontario led the Maple Leafs in scoring with two points. He had two assists.
This was Benoit’s first Stanley Cup playoff goal. It came in his tenth postseason game, all with the Maple Leafs. Benoit had his first Stanley Cup Playoff point on Tuesday in game two of the series. Ironically, that goal also came in overtime, as Benoit had the only assist on a goal by Max Domi of Winnipeg, Manitoba.
The Maple Leafs can close out the series on Saturday. Interestingly, Toronto has not swept an opponent in the playoffs since they won four straight games against the Ottawa Senators in the opening round of the 2001 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Twenty-four years ago, the Maple Leafs won by scores of 1-0, 3-0, 3-2. and 3-1. Both of the one goal wins came in overtime.