With the Toronto Maple Leafs set for the play their home opener against the Ottawa Senators, another year of the ‘Battle of Ontario’ is set to start.  Let’s take a look at the history of the Battle:

• The Battle of Ontario, as we know it, started in 1992 when the Ottawa Senators entered the National Hockey League (N.H.L.)
• The two teams would only meet up two to three times a year until the 1998-1999 season as the Maple Leafs were in the Western Conference and the Senators were in the Eastern Conference.  When the N.H.L. realigned in 1998, both teams were in the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference.
• Since 1998, the two teams have met five or more times each season, including several postseason match-ups.
• The teams have met up 95 times in the regular season.
• Ottawa has a record of 49-38-3-5 in regular season match-ups.
• The teams have met up four times in the postseason, playing 24 times.
• Toronto has won all four postseason series, with a record of 16-8.
• The Senators won all five games in the 2000-01 season, only to lose four straight games to the Maple Leafs in the first round of the playoffs.
• For the 2012-2013 season, Toronto won the series four games to one.

Here’s the the return of the Battle of Ontario.  May it live up to it’s reputation.