'Fun stuff starts now': Maple Leafs turn attention to Senators in Battle of Ontario playoff series

Craig Berube wanted to finish Thursday night healthy.

That mission accomplished, the Maple Leafs and their head coach can now solely focus on what the group has been working toward all season — the Stanley Cup playoffs.

A mouth-watering first-round matchup awaits.

Toronto came back from a 3-1 deficit in Thursday's third period before beating the Detroit Red Wings 4-3 to put a bow on a meaningless regular-season finale for both teams.

"Hard for the players," Berube said. "It's just one of those [games] you hope you come out of it and you're all good."

That's what happened as Toronto avoided injury on a night that looked a lot like a pre-season contest against an opponent that will watch the NHL's annual spring tournament from the couch.

"A little bit of a weird game," said Leafs forward Scott Laughton, who scored the winner. "It's different out there. You probably won't see me out there second shift of overtime, so that kind of explains it."

Toronto, which topped the Atlantic Division with 108 points, opens the post-season Sunday night against the Ottawa Senators in Game 1 of a best-of-seven series that represents the first playoff Battle of Ontario in more than two decades.

"Now it's time for us to get down to business," Leafs defenceman Chris Tanev said after tying Thursday's affair with 1.8 seconds left in regulation. "We know how good of a team they are, we know how hard they play, we know how well-coached they are.

"They're a very structured team that does all the right things, does the little things to win games, and that's why they've had a successful year."

The Leafs beat the Senators four times in the playoffs between 2000 and 2004, including two Game 7 victories on home ice. The rivalry has been largely dormant