The Ottawa Senators narrowly avoided elimination Saturday night with a 4-3 victory against the Toronto Maple Leafs in overtime. It was a game filled with many firsts for them in this series. It was the first time they had the better goaltender, won the special teams battle, and received the bounces that had previously gone against them. They’ve stayed competitive throughout the series, with only Game 1 being a blowout. With a bounce or two, one could easily envision this series being tied or the Senators leading 3-1 heading into Tuesday night. That has to boost the group’s confidence, something that could work to their advantage, especially given the Maple Leafs’ lack of it in potential series-clinching games. The loss dropped their record to 1-12 in such situations, and while there’s no need to panic yet, a Senators’ win in Game 5 could bring them closer to doing so. Maple Leafs’ Stars Struggle in Big Games While it’s true that this record doesn’t apply to head coach Craig Berube and their many new additions, it certainly applies to the core, who have experienced all the heartbreaks and disappointments of previous years. Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews have been particularly ineffective in these games, with the former scoring zero goals in his career in potential series clinchers. While the Maple Leafs’ depth has stepped up in this series, the onus ultimately rests on the best players to shine through in the biggest moments, and that simply hasn’t been the case for them. Take Game 4 as an example. Matthews and Marner appeared disconnected at times, didn’t generate many chances at 5-on-5, and didn’t spend much time in the offensive zone compared to the Maple Leafs’ other lines. That’s not to say that they’ve been terrible, but they’ve yet to take over a game the way other superstars like Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon have. This is definitely an area for the Senators to exploit by taking the body to them, limiting their time and space, and continuing to get into their heads, planting that seed of doubt more and more as time progresses. Senators Believe That They Can Come Back One can sense that belief in the Senators’ locker room is already starting to grow, and one can’t help but think that it’ll only increase if they can come through in Game 5. For a young group in the playoffs for the first time and down 3-0, this is all house money for them. Brady Tkachuk, after Game 3, specifically referenced the 2004 Boston Red Sox and how their mentality was simply to take it game by game and continually make the opposing team more nervous. Brady Tkachuk, Ottawa Senators (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers) “Win one game, make them come back to Ottawa,” said Nick Cousins. “Then use our crowd to our advantage for Game 6, get another win there, and anything can happen in Game 7.” It is a monumental feat to come back from 3-0 down to win a series, no doubt (only four teams have ever done it). The Senators already have one win out of the way and can start exploiting the weak mental psyche of the Maple Leafs with another victory. Players That Can Help Fuel Comeback Fortunately for the Senators, there is some experience in that room when it comes to being down 3-0. Claude Giroux was a member of the Philadelphia Flyers back in 2010 when he helped achieve that feat. Having a veteran who can add perspective and impart wisdom to the young players on how to manage the situation is certainly advantageous. They’ve also had a few key players truly come into their own as the series has progressed. Jake Sanderson, who scored the overtime winner, was at his best on Saturday night and could prove to be a real challenge if this series goes long. He was excellent at intercepting pucks, boxing out in front of his own net, and setting up teammates, which he did on Ottawa’s first goal. He’s also tied for the team lead in playoff scoring, while effectively shutting down Matthews and Marner. Related: Senators Can’t Blame Linus Ullmark for Series Deficit There’s also been the standout play of Tyler Kleven. He’s progressively earned more ice time with each game and made a huge play late in the match by taking the puck off the goal line before setting up the winner. He’s gaining the trust of Travis Green and the coaching staff, with him and Nikolas Matinpalo putting up a 59 percent expected goal share, the best of any defensive pairing on the team. Senators’ Outlook for Game 5 The Senators have a lot going for them heading into Game 5. They’ve finally broken through and won a game, they’re improving as the series unfolds, and most importantly, they hold a significant psychological edge if they can send the series back to Ottawa. It’s not going to be easy, very few teams win four in a row in the playoffs, but if they stick with it and continue to play their game, they could give the Maple Leafs a real scare and turn this series around very quickly.