<img class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual" src="https://display.blogto.com/articles/20250416-toronto-maple-leafs-3.jpg?w=1200&amp;cmd=resize_then_crop&amp;height=630&amp;quality=70" width="100%" /><p>The Toronto Maple Leafs just might be impacting your Easter weekend plans.</p><p>Toronto finalized its NHL playoff matchup against the Ottawa Senators by way of beating the Buffalo Sabres 4-0 Tuesday night en route to an Atlantic Division-clinching win.</p><p>The Maple Leafs haven't won a whole lot of divisions in their history, with their Atlantic Division crown being just the sixth time in 107 seasons that they've been on top.</p><p>Toronto has home ice for the series, meaning they'll host at least Game 1 and Game 2, while also potentially hosting Game 5 and Game 7, should the series require them.</p><p>With the NHL playoffs slated to start this Saturday, April 19, no schedule has been officially released yet for when the 16 teams will begin vying for the Stanley Cup.</p><p>But as per a few reports, including&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/OverDrive1050/status/1911926371477295132">one from NHL Insider Chris Johnston earlier this week on TSN 1050</a>, the Leafs are expected to start their series this Sunday, April 20.</p><p>With a short travel distance between the two cities of Toronto and Ottawa, one day between games is to be expected for the series.</p><p>If the NHL sticks to that schedule, here's how things would shake out for the first Battle of Ontario since 2004:</p><ul><li><strong>Game 1:</strong>&nbsp;Sunday, April 20, Ottawa at Toronto</li><li><strong>Game 2:</strong>&nbsp;Tuesday, April 22, Ottawa at Toronto</li><li><strong>Game 3:</strong>&nbsp;Thursday, April 24, Toronto at Ottawa</li><li><strong>Game 4:</strong>&nbsp;Saturday, April 26, Toronto at Ottawa</li><li><strong>Game 5:</strong>&nbsp;Monday, April 28, Ottawa at Toronto</li><li><strong>Game 6:</strong>&nbsp;Wednesday, April 30, Toronto at Ottawa</li><li><strong>Game 7:</strong>&nbsp;Friday, May 2, Ottawa at Toronto</li></ul><p>In some series, the NHL will add an extra day or two in between games, making it possible, for example, to place the potential Game 7 on Saturday, May 3, to maximize viewership.</p><p>Both Scotiabank Arena and Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa have wide open schedules over the next few weeks, so the NHL has quite a bit of flexibility to play with.</p><p>Another factor to consider is the Montreal Canadiens, who can clinch a playoff spot tonight with just a single point, but could also be overtaken by the Columbus Blue Jackets if they lose in regulation and the Blue Jackets win in regulation tomorrow against the New York Islanders.</p><p>One of those two teams will take on the Washington Capitals.</p><p>As posited by Johnston (and as common sense would suggest), playing the Leafs and Canadiens on the same night in the same time zone would cause a large split in the audience of Canada's two biggest hockey teams.</p><p>In the other Eastern Conference series, the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning will be facing off, as will the Carolina Hurricanes and New Jersey Devils.</p><p>In any case, with the NHL regular season wrapping up tomorrow, we should get a good idea pretty soon of what the full NHL playoff schedule will look like.</p>