TORONTO — Justin Hall scored a goal and added an assist to lead the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 4-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday, setting the tone for the NHL’s pre-season schedule.
The Leafs scored from three consecutive shots in the first game with a double header.
Alex Steves scored two goals, Denis Malgin also scored for Toronto, while Mark Giordano scored three assists.
Eric Calgren blocked seven shots in 40 minutes before making way for Dylan Ferguson in front of the Levs goal in the final period.
Stützle sets the tone for the preparatory calendar
The Senators opened the scoring thanks to Tim Stutzel, who beat Giordano before defeating Calgren with a shot into the top corner in the first.
Among the regular players in the Toronto afternoon outfit are Mitch Marner, Jon Tavares and William Nylander.
On the Ottawa side, Claude Giroud, Cam Talbot and Alex DeBrinkat debuted in their new uniforms in the afternoon.
The fifth overall pick for the 2020 draft, defender Jake Sanderson, was also in the first meeting.
The senses respond in the evening
Then at 7 p.m., the Ontario competitors sent new teams on the ice for Game Two of the day.
Senators 4 – Maple Leaves 2
After a brace from Calle Jarnkrok made it 2-0 for the hosts, the Senators scored four goals in a row to win 4-2.
Empty in scoring so far, Sens’ side saw Angus Cruikshank redirect a superb pass from Scott Sabourin into the Toronto net.
Nine minutes later, Josh Norris completed good play from Drake Paterson and Thomas Chabot to equalize.
The 2-2 score took just 22 seconds as Mark Castelich pounced on a loose disc to give Ottawa the first lead of the match.
After Jarnkrok hit the post in an attempt to complete a hat-trick trick, Tyler Motte dropped the disc into a sudden cage 20 seconds before the end of the match.
Goalkeeper Ilya Samsonov was in action in a foliage cage for the first time. He excelled at blocking 16 rounds in 39:40 of play.
Another new Toronto guard, Matt Murray, who got him from the Senses in July, was out on Saturday.
As for the Senses, Anton Forsberg surrendered once in 14 shots, before he was replaced by Mads Sogaard, who was tested nine times and allowed one goal.
The Philadelphia Flyers kicked off their pre-season schedule with a 2-1 victory over the Boston Bruins.
It was Jackson Keats who allowed Philly to emerge victorious from this duel, thanks to a goal scored at 15:20 of the third half.
The latter’s brother, Noah, put the pilots on the mark by hitting the target in a power game, from the second minute of playing the game.
Jacob Lauko’s goal at 12:50 from the last period allowed the Bruins to establish a temporary equaliser.
Felix Sandstrom stopped every 17 shots he encountered, before being replaced by Tyler Grosnick halfway through.
Keith Kinkaid and Kyle Keyser held 14 and 13 rounds, respectively, for Boston.
The last word is Logan Brown and the Blues
Logan Brown broke the tie late in the third half with his second goal of the game to give the Blues a 5-4 victory over the Arizona Quiz.
A first-round pick for the Blues (26th place) in 2020, Jake Neighbors also had two winning goals in addition to one assist.
Former Canadian Tyler Petlake had made twice in the Blues win.
The Coyotes have managed to find the back of the net twice in as many chances in play thanks to Nick Ritchie and Matthias Maxelli.
Barrett Highton scored three points, one goal, and two assists at Camp Arizona.
Jordan Bennington has given up only once in eight pitches. Sharing the Blues Network with Joel Hoover.
Emily Thompson is a contributor at Vaughantoday.ca, covering a wide range of topics including local news, politics, business, technology, sports, entertainment, and lifestyle. She focuses on clear, accurate reporting that helps readers stay informed about current events and developments that matter to their community. Her work emphasizes useful information, balanced coverage, and stories that reflect the interests, concerns, and everyday experiences of readers across Canada.