Controversial Penalty Call Against the Leafs May Cost Them Game 4 Against Senators

As the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators faced off in a critical Game 4, the tone was set early after a major officiating blunder that gave the Senators a 1-0 lead.

According to TicTacTOmar on X:

The goal, scored by Tim Stutzle, was the first of his playoff career - and it couldn't have come at a worse time for the Leafs. Adding to the sting, the goal came shortly after Stutzle made comments criticizing Toronto's power play, essentially calling it a fluke.

The sequence leading to the goal was bizarre. Shane Pinto clearly hit Max Domi's stick during a faceoff, yet Domi was called for roughing - despite not being the instigator.

Domi has been an important contributor for the Leafs so far in the playoffs, scoring the overtime winner in Game 2. His gritty, physical play has been a positive for Toronto, making it even more frustrating that his competitiveness led to such a controversial penalty.

To add even more salt in the wounds, Shane Pinto, has scored to make it 2-0, proving that the miscall by the referee holds even greater weight.

Now trailing 2-0, the Maple Leafs will need to battle back if they want to complete the 4-0 sweep in Ottawa. Stay tuned - there's still a lot of hockey left to play.