Pacioretty’s tale is one of endurance. He signed a one-year, incentive-laden contract with Toronto prior to the season following a pair of Achilles injuries that limited him to five games during the 2022-23 season and kept him out until Jan. 3, 2024, when he returned to play 47 games with the Washington Capitals.

The loss marks the end of the Senators' first playoff appearance since 2017 and the end of Brady Tkachuk’s first postseason run after 512 regular-season games. Tkachuk scored in the second period Thursday, tipping in a point shot from Thomas Chabot to extend his point streak to five games and cut Toronto's advantage in half to 2-1.

Toronto moves on to the second round, but their narrow escape against Ottawa raises more doubts than confidence.