For the first time in more than 20 years, the Battle of Ontario rivalry between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Ottawa Senators will unfold once again in the NHL playoffs.

In securing the Atlantic Division title and Eastern Conference’s second seed, Toronto will face Ottawa, which went undefeated against the Leafs in the regular season.

The last time these two rivals played in the playoffs was in 2004 when the Leafs knocked off the Senators in a seven-game first-round win.

Playing in that series was forward Darcy Tucker, who told Global News Thursday that fans who were too young or weren’t even alive at the time are in for a treat.

“Ottawa and Toronto both being in Ontario makes for a good rivalry and it’s something that the fans thoroughly enjoy,” he said.

“It’s going to be something that both cities embrace and there’s going to be a lot of different things that go on during the course of the next couple of weeks that fans are going to enjoy in the series.”

While the date of Game 1 hasn’t been released yet, fans on both sides aren’t wasting time trading jabs on social media.

“I’m sorry Sens fans but the Leafs are going to throttle you,” X user @leafsfaan wrote Wednesday afternoon.

“The amount of arrogant, obnoxious and disrespectful Leafs fans I’ve seen on Twitter and in this city is absolutely disgusting,” X user @Arjun_AJB15 wrote Wednesday afternoon.

“They haven’t won a Cup since 1967 and yet they think they can gloat and be cocky. Can’t wait to humble them.”

While the occasion marks Ottawa’s first playoff appearance in eight years, the Leafs have now made the post-season for nine consecutive years. However, success has been hard to come by.

Toronto is carrying the weight of advancing past the first round just once — a 4-2 series win over Tampa Bay in 2023 — in its past nine post-season appearances.

What is giving Leafs fans optimism, however, is that their team is playing a more responsible defensive style under new coach Craig Berube. Also, the Leafs are riding a 12-2-1 run heading into the playoffs.

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With 263 goals, Toronto is closing in on finishing its ninth straight season ranked among the NHL’s top 10. The Maple Leafs also enter their final regular-season game Thursday ranked 10th in the NHL in allowing 226 goals. Only twice over the past nine seasons have they finished with a better ranking.

“I think we’re prepared,” captain Auston Matthews said after Tuesday’s 4-0 win against the Buffalo Sabres.

“Obviously, we can’t change what’s happened in the past. I think you wear that.… So I feel really confident in this group. I think we put in a lot of work over the season. Obviously, earning the division Battle of Ontario: What to know ahead of Leafs, Sens NHL playoff matchup here is a big step for us. But we just want to continue to push forward.”

Meanwhile, the Senators were coming off a 5-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on April 8 when they saw the Montreal Canadiens had beaten the Detroit Red Wings 4-1, which officially allowed Ottawa to punch its ticket to the playoffs.

Senators head coach Travis Green was a member of the 2001-02 Leafs team that beat the Senators in seven games in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Now Green will get to experience the rivalry from a different vantage point, and this time around, he and Daniel Alfredsson, the Senators’ assistant coach, will be on the same team.

As a player, Alfredsson never experienced beating the Leafs in a playoff series, which should only add to the team’s motivation.

Most of the current roster were just kids the last time the two teams met in the playoffs, but they’re excited to start a new chapter of the Battle of Ontario.

“It’s awesome,” forward Drake Batherson said.

“I mean, we’d be happy with anyone, but I feel like everyone wants the Battle of Ontario and they’re going to get it and it should be a good one.”

When the playoffs begin, the Leafs will be reigniting their tailgates outside Scotiabank Arena for both home and away games.

Tailgates will feature live entertainment on stage, special appearances, a DJ, prizes, food and beverage stations, the Real Sports Apparel merchandise truck and more. The tailgate will open two hours before the game and close at the end of the second intermission.

Fans attending must register for a free mobile pass to access the playoff tailgates. Passes are available on the Leafs mobile app at 1 p.m. ET the day before each confirmed game and each fan can register for up to two non-transferable passes per game.

In Ottawa, the CIBC Red Zone will open one hour before doors open at the Canadian Tire Centre. It will feature the Sens Beer Garden, live entertainment, photo stations, games and face painting.

The NHL playoffs officially begin Saturday.

— with files from The Canadian Press and The Associated Press

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