» Nothing special about Maple Leafs’ overtime loss in Game 4

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Special teams can make or break a team’s hopes in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

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For the Maple Leafs on Saturday night in the Battle of Ontario, failure to score on a four-minute power play in overtime snuffed their desire to eliminate the Ottawa Senators in a four-game sweep.

The double power play had an asterisk, which we will get to in a minute.

It’s back to Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on Tuesday for Game 5 in the best-of-seven series.

The Leafs remain in the driver’s seat with a 3-1 series lead, but they might want to avoid drifting out of their lane on home ice. If the Sens have some confidence now, imagine how they would feel about themselves if they win again and head home for Game 6.

Our takeaways from the 4-3 Senators’ overtime victory at the Canadian Tire Centre:

POWER OUTAGE

After scoring five goals on nine power plays in the first three games of the series, the Leafs went 0-for-4 in Game 4.

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The cringe factor surfaced in overtime after Sens forward Drake Batherson high-sticked Chris Tanev in the face, cutting the Leafs defenceman to result in a double minor at 4:37.

The Leafs had five shots on goalie Linus Ullmark — by Matthew Knies, William Nylander, captain Auston Matthews, Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Mitch Marner — and none went in. Matthews also hit the post.

The asterisk is the Leafs didn’t have John Tavares, an integral piece of the top power-play unit, while Batherson sat in the box. He was in the dressing room getting evaluated after he was knocked to the ice by defenceman Artem Zub. By the time Tavares returned, the power play was over.

Morgan Rielly took Tavares’ spot on the power play, but let’s not get too caught up in that. When you have Matthews, Marner, Nylander and Knies still on the top unit, the chance should still be good that you can score.

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Instead, nothing for the Leafs. And when you can’t take full advantage of a four-minute power play, guess what eventually happens?

Ottawa defenceman Jake Sanderson’s shot from the side boards got past a screened Anthony Stolarz at 17:42, sending the series back down the 401.

“Special teams,” Leafs coach Craig Berube said to the media in Ottawa, referring to the difference in the game. “We gave up a PP goal and a shorty (by Shane Pinto in the first period), but we had the opportunities with the four minutes in overtime. Didn’t get it done.”

Berube didn’t buy into the Tavares absence being the reason.

“We had some good looks,” Berube said. “Didn’t go in. Not going to look at it too much. Didn’t get a bounce. Could have ended it, hit a post. JT is very good on the PP for us, but we had our looks.”

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Berube also said there was “no concern” with Tavares’ health.

SEED OF DOUBT?

Before anyone starts worrying about ghosts of playoffs past for the Leafs — you know, the ones that have haunted the Leafs as they have won one playoff round in the past eight years — consider what happened before overtime on Saturday.

Resilience has been a hallmark in Berube’s first year behind the bench. There was no fear in the Leafs in Game 4. Had there been, it would be seen straying from the way they played, not only in the regular season, but through the first three playoff games.

Toronto erased a 2-0 Ottawa lead. In the third, with the Sens up 3-2, Ekman-Larsson tied the game seven minutes after David Perron scored the go-ahead goal.

Ottawa had one shot on goal in the second period. It had three shots on goal in the third. That kind of defensive tightness and awareness wasn’t part of the Leafs’ makeup in recent years.

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Berube scoffed at a question about a seed of doubt being planted in his group partly because of the playoff woes in the era headed by Matthews, Marner, Nylander and Tavares.

“I don’t think that was the case tonight,” Berube said. “I thought our team played extremely hard. We gave up four shots in two periods. I thought we defended hard, played hard.

“I’m not too concerned about it. We did a lot of good things tonight, didn’t work out.”

Here’s how we predict the next few days will play out: The Leafs will forget the loss, leave it in the nation’s capital and be ready to finish the series when the puck drops on Tuesday. Berube will see to it. He wouldn’t have it any other way, nor would he expect anything else.

“We’ve put ourselves in a great spot,” Knies said of the 3-1 series lead. “On to the next one. It has been close games, three overtimes. It’s great hockey. I’m sure it’s fun to watch. We’re excited to get back after it.”

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DEFENCE GETTING OFFENSIVE

One reason why the Leafs are in a position to end the series and leave a couple of games on the table is because of the scoring prowess from the defence corps.

When Ekman-Larsson scored after Nylander perfectly threaded a seam, it was the fifth goal by a Leafs defenceman in the series. That’s the most in the NHL. During the regular season, Leafs defencemen combined to score 21 goals — the fewest in the NHL.

“They’re shooting the puck and they’re activating,” Berube said. “Getting pucks to the net. Great pass by Willie, we’re in a good set there, and it’s a good finish.

“Our D are doing a good job with that aspect of the game. They’re playing well, defending hard and helping us on the scoresheet.”

They’re making a difference at both ends, in other words.

tkoshan@postmedia.com

X: @koshtorontosun

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