As time passed after Simon Benoit's overtime-winner for the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 3 against the Ottawa Senators on Thursday, his phone continued filling up with messages cheering him on.

Instead, it was a 26-year-old, third-pair defenseman from Laval, Quebec, who proved to be the difference-maker by beating goalie Linus Ullmark at 1:19 of overtime to give the Maple Leafs a 3-2 victory against the Ottawa Senators in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference First Round at a raucous Canadian Tire Centre on Thursday.

Benoit, who scored the game-winning goal just 1:19 into overtime, was fielding questions when a reporter asked him one in French. Benoit responded quickly and smoothly, prompting Matthews, sitting beside him, to appear caught completely off guard and to look sideways in amazement.