Joseph Sends Senators Packing

Outshooting Toronto was not a problem for Ottawa in its playoff series with the Maple Leafs. Outscoring Toronto was, and the Senators are out of the playoffs because of it.

For the fourth time in the series, the Senators outshot the Maple Leafs on Monday night. But as was the case in the other three games, Ottawa couldn’t get past Curtis Joseph enough as the Maple Leafs won, 4-2, at Kanata, Canada, taking the first round series, 4-2.

Steve Thomas started a four-goal spurt in the second period, erasing a 2-0 Ottawa lead. The Senators outshot the Maple Leafs, 38-24, as the team with the most shots lost every game of the series.

Toronto will open the Eastern Conference semifinals Thursday night at home against the New Jersey Devils.

Ottawa was eliminated in the first round for the third time in four seasons.

“We played real gritty,” Joseph said. “We played tough along the boards.”

A capacity crowd of 18,500 watched in dismay as the Senators became the first team to lose at home in the series.

“I think the last game was key for us,” Joseph said. “Getting up 3-2 in dramatic fashion, I think that spilled over into tonight’s game.”

Ottawa got the early lead on a rush when Shawn McEachern’s shot was kicked out to the high slot, where Juneau swept the puck inside the near post 3:45 into the game. Ottawa made it 2-0 when Kravchuk’s shot through traffic beat Joseph 3:59 into the second period.

But Thomas answered with his sixth goal of the series only 12 seconds later, and it was 4-2 after Wendel Clark finished the spurt with 1:13 left in the period.