Leafs captain Auston Matthews expects ‘louder and rowdier’ home crowd as Toronto eyes series win in Battle of Ontario

The Toronto Maple Leafs can punch their ticket to the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs on Tuesday night.

Despite Game 4’s disappointing 4-3 overtime loss in Ottawa, Toronto still holds a comfortable 3-1 series lead with the chance to end it in front of their home fans.

Scotiabank Arena has been kind to the Maple Leafs this postseason, as they’ve gone 2-0 on home ice. The crowd should be buzzing again in Game 5, and Auston Matthews expects the fans will dial it up another notch for a potential series clincher.

The captain was asked about the impact the home fans have made throughout the Battle of Ontario during his pregame media availability. Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun shared his comments on X (formerly Twitter).

“It’s been great, it’s been awesome. I expect it to be even louder and rowdier tonight. The first two games here, the start of the series, the atmosphere was incredible. The fans are great and it’s a lot of fun to play in that kind of atmosphere,” Matthews said.

Auston Matthews has produced six points (one goal, five assists) in the first four games of the series, with three of those points coming at home in Games 1 and 2.

The Maple Leafs are anxious for another chance to win the series in Game 5

The Toronto Maple Leafs are ready to get back in action on Tuesday night.

The extra days off since the Game 4 loss have left a bitter taste in their mouths, so the team is more than ready for Game 5. Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun shared some of Craig Berube’s comments on the feeling of his group on game day.

“We’re ready to go. Guys feel good and anxious to play. It’s not till tonight, but they’re ready to go,” Berube said.

Craig Berube is sticking with the same lineup for Game 5, which means veteran Max Pacioretty remains in, while Nick Robertson is still a healthy scratch. Anthony Stolarz once again mans the crease for a fifth consecutive playoff start.

The Maple Leafs will look to send their crowd home happy with a win on Tuesday night against the Ottawa Senators to cap off the Battle of Ontario. The puck drops at 7 p.m. EST at Scotiabank Arena.

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alt=”Jackson Weber” height=”72″ width=”72″>

Jackson Weber is an NHL journalist at Sportskeeda with a Bcomm degree in Business and Sport Management from the University of Guelph.

Jackson has grown up as a lifelong Pittsburgh Penguins fan. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are his all-time favorite players. Watching the Penguins win the Stanley Cup three times is an experience that Jackson will never forget. Years later, you realize how rare it is to see your favorite team win even once, so three championships were just incredible.

When not watching, playing, or writing about sports, Jackson loves to cook and is passionate about health and nutrition.

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Edited by Jackson Weber