Maple Leafs clinch playoff spot with Senators’ win against Panthers

The Maple Leafs officially are heading back to the playoffs.

Just a rubber stamp has been required for a while regarding the Leafs’  participation in the 2018 Stanley Cup tournament, and they got it on Thursday when the Ottawa Senators beat the Florida Panthers 3-2 in overtime.

Had Florida won, it would have been able to catch the Leafs in the Atlantic Division standings. Instead, the Panthers are 13 points behind the Leafs and have six games remaining.

It’s the first time since 2002-03 and 2003-04 the Leafs have made the playoffs in consecutive seasons. Last year, the Leafs were eliminated in six games in the opening round by the Washington Capitals.

The Leafs will meet Boston or Tampa Bay in the first round.

“We want to win every night, and we expect to,” Leafs defenceman Connor Carrick said earlier Thursday. “That has been the cool transformation in this team. We were in the caboose of the league (two years ago) and it was an ugly feeling. Now teams want a piece of us and we’re looking for blood, too, so it’s good.”