The Senators aimed for their stronger split squad to succeed on home ice Wednesday night. However, a largely rostered line of Toronto Maple Leafs players competing for roster spots defeated them 4–2 at Canadian Tire Centre. This game was part of Toronto’s sweep of the evening, as their main team, with stars dressed, routed Ottawa’s other group at Scotiabank Arena with a 6–1 win.
The home game was competitive, with Ryan Tverberg scoring the go-ahead goal in the final five minutes, breaking a 2–2 deadlock, and Teddy Blueger sealing the victory with an empty-net goal. The game’s scoring started after a scoreless first period, when Henrik Rybinski capitalized on a power play at 3:51 of the second, finishing a rebound at the net. Although initially disallowed because of a perceived offside or puck deflection off the crossbar, replay confirmed the goal. Dylan Cozens quickly responded for Toronto, stealing the puck from Blake Smith and firing a wrist shot past Anthony Stolarz to tie the game.
Midway through the third, Toronto regained the lead as Steven Lorentz redirected a shot from Marshall Rifai past Ottawa’s Linus Ullmark. Ottawa responded shortly after, with young defenseman Hoyt Stanley collecting a loose puck, skillfully pulling it to his backhand, and beating Stolarz to make it 2–2. Stanley was Ottawa’s fourth-round draft pick of 2023, chosen after the team traded away its first three picks, and his impressive goal is seen as positive for his prospects.
Later, Tverberg secured the game-winner with a quick shot from the left faceoff circle at 15:43 of the third period, and Blueger padded the lead with a late empty-net goal. Ullmark finished with 20 saves for Ottawa, while Stolarz made 19 for Toronto.
The Senators will host their final split-squad game of the preseason on Saturday against Montreal, with both games starting at 7 p.m. in Ottawa and Montreal. This will mark the end of preseason, with the regular season beginning October 3.
Fan Take: This game highlights the intense competition for NHL roster spots and reminds fans how crucial these preseason matchups are. For hockey enthusiasts, it’s exciting to see young talent like Stanley and Tverberg making a case for themselves, hinting at the fresh energy and new storylines that will unfold in the upcoming season.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
