Marner-less Maple Leafs fall in Battle of Ontario

Leafs forward William Nylander with the puck against the Ottawa Senators at the Air Canada Centre on Saturday February 18, 2017. (Michael Peake/Toronto Sun/Postmedia Network)If the Maple Leafs can’t win the Battle of Ontario, they won’t likely thrive in the Battle of the Atlantic.

And that will have more consequences in the Eastern Conference when the eight playoff spots are decided in April.

Toronto, clinging to eighth place, came up short on another big test Saturday at the Air Canada Centre, missing leading scorer Mitch Marner but needing a win against the Ottawa Senators to even the season series and reverse some Saturday night setbacks against other division rivals. The Sens won 6-3, the…