KANATA, Ontario -- Steve Thomas started a four-goal spurt in the second period, lifting the Toronto Maple Leafs into the second round of the NHL playoffs Monday night with a 4-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators.
Toronto won the best-of-seven series 4-2 and will open the Eastern Conference semifinals Thursday night at home against the New Jersey Devils.Thomas, Mats Sundin, Sergei Berezin and Wendel Clark scored as the Leafs erased a 2-0 Ottawa lead built on goals by Joe Juneau and Igor Kravchuk.
The Senators outshot Toronto 37-24, but their failure to hold the lead resulted in an opening-round elimination for the second straight year and third time in four seasons.
The team that held the shots advantage lost all six games of the series.
"We played real gritty," Toronto goalie Curtis 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 (with a come-from-behind, overtime victory), 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.
Toronto Maple Leafs into the second round of the NHL playoffs Monday night with a 4-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators.