The Senators looked dead in the water during their Game 3 loss to the Hurricanes, but have vowed to make the series a "hell of a story." Wayne Scanlan breaks down Ottawa's dreary effort and what's ahead.

In Ottawa, spring has reared its dreary, damp, grey head. But hearts are light, because the mighty Senators are in the playoffs and a community is awakened.

Ottawa Senators fans roared approval of their up-and-coming squad after their season ended on home ice in Game 6. Rarely has a playoff loss to a longtime rival been this OK.

Now that the Battle of Ontario has hit Game 5, there's a sense that the hatred between the Senators and Maple Leafs will grow. Wayne Scanlan looks at why this series sets the stage for a new era of the provincial rivalry.

Entering Game 3, the Senators' quest was to pour every ounce of resolve they had to get back into the Battle of Ontario. But by night's end, all anyone could do was marvel at how Ottawa fans took their building back. 

It took eight years of learning to get these Senators back to the playoffs. Now, they get to go to school on Game 1, where there were plenty of lessons to go around after a loss to the Maple Leafs.