In a fiery clash during Saturday night's Battle of Ontario, tensions flared between the Ottawa Senators and the Toronto Maple Leafs, reigniting their age-old rivalry. Despite the end of their regular-season face-offs, both teams kept stoking the flames of competition well after the game concluded.
Initially, Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe stirred the pot by supporting defenseman Morgan Rielly's actions, which are now poised to lead to a hefty suspension. However, the Senators wasted no time in firing back, seizing an opportunity to escalate the feud.
In a calculated move, the Senators seized on their victory by singling out forward Ridly Greig for the "Performer of the Game" award, highlighting his decisive slap shot into the empty Leafs net in the game's final moments. Notably, the addition of a sponsor to the award announcement added an extra layer of deliberate provocation to the gesture.
The Senators' strategic trolling represents a clear effort to ramp up the longstanding rivalry between the two teams, ensuring that the animosity between Ottawa and Toronto continues to simmer long after the final buzzer has sounded.