“It undoubtedly pisses us off slightly bit,” centre Shane Pinto says of the ocean of blue Leaf followers on the Canadian Tire Centre.
Article content material
SENATORS 2, MAPLE LEAFS 1
Article content material
Article content material
A lucky bounce made an enormous distinction for the Ottawa Senators within the newest spherical of the Battle of Ontario Saturday evening.
It doesn’t matter how all that issues is what number of and a bounce off centre Shane Pinto’s knee that landed within the Toronto Maple Leafs’ internet turned out to be the winner in Ottawa’s 2-1 victory on the Canadian Tire Centre.
Commercial 2
Article content material
Pinto’s ninth objective of the Nationwide Hockey League season landed behind Toronto goalie Joseph Woll at 10:47 of the third interval, and a powerful effort by backup Anton Forsberg in internet was sufficient to safe two big factors in opposition to the Leafs.
Tim Stutzle additionally scored for the Senators.
The Senators had been surrounded by a sea of blue Toronto jerseys with a sellout crowd of 18,818 available in the one go to by the Leafs to Ottawa this season.
“It’s all the time powerful. It all the time fires the boys up for positive,” PInto informed Hockey Night time in Canada’s Kyle Bukauskas earlier than the sport. “It’s simply one other hockey recreation, however it undoubtedly pisses us off slightly bit.”
This was a bodily battle and Auston Matthews had a quiet evening for Toronto because of a powerful effort by the Senators.
SHUFFLING THE DECK
Senators head coach Travis Inexperienced switched all of his ahead strains earlier than the puck was dropped in a bid to create extra offence.
It didn’t assist that the Senators had been with solely 11 forwards from the halfway level of the primary interval. Veteran winger Nick Cousins left the sport with a leg damage after a collision with Leafs rookie Jacob Quillan.
Sports activities
Article content material
Commercial 3
Article content material
Cousins needed to be helped to the dressing room, and the Senators must recall a ahead from the American Hockey League affiliate in Belleville for Sunday’s house recreation in opposition to the Utah Hockey Membership.
The modifications up entrance didn’t result in far more scoring, however the Senators created alternatives and compelled Woll to make good stops. He robbed Drake Batherson point-blank early within the second interval.
By way of 40 minutes, the Senators and Leafs performed to a 1-1 tie.
Each groups performed properly defensively and there wasn’t a lot in the best way of scoring possibilities at both finish.
The excellent news was the Senators’ drought of 147 minutes and 53 seconds ended on the facility play at 10:43 of the primary interval, when Stutzle fired the puck previous Woll.
That was solely the Senators’ second objective with the person benefit in eight video games, however it got here as a reduction after they had been shut out in back-to-back losses in opposition to the New York Rangers and Boston Bruins.
It was no shock to see Forsberg make his second straight begin in internet, and he made the mandatory stops.
He had additionally been stable in opposition to the Bruins on Thursday and had performed fairly stable in opposition to the Leafs in 9 earlier appearances. His report in opposition to them had been 2-4-3 lifetime report with a .905 save proportion and a 3.41 goals-against common.
Commercial 4
Article content material
BATTLE SCARS
The very best wager for the Senators was to attempt to take the gang out of the sport early. That wasn’t the case. Bobby McMann opened the scoring for Toronto with 16:14 left within the first interval on the second shot that Forsberg confronted.
However the Senators had been capable of stand up to the early push by the Leafs and performed a powerful first interval.
There wasn’t so much in the best way of fireworks. You can virtually say the ambiance of this one was tepid.
That wasn’t the case the final time the Senators confronted the Leafs on the town was on Feb. 10 final season, when Ottawa scored a 5-3 victory.
That one is tough to neglect as a result of Ottawa ahead Ridly Greig sealed the victory by firing a slapshot into an empty internet. Toronto defenceman Morgan Rielly was so upset with the act he punched Greig within the head and earned a five-game suspension.
Greig had a wry smile as he spoke earlier than the sport.
“It resulted in a dramatic approach, however it’s up to now. I believe we’ve all moved on,” Greig mentioned. “It’s in all probability good for the sport. Lots of people hated it, lots of people beloved it, and it’s in all probability good for the rivalry.”
IT’S HAMMER TIME
Veteran defenceman Travis Hamonic returned within the nick of time for Ottawa.
Ten video games after he injured a knee in a contest on Jan. 3 in opposition to the St. Louis Blues, Hamonic returned to the lineup in opposition to the Leafs.
Hamonic mentioned he resumed skating 10 days in the past and felt good. He took the place of the injured Nick Jensen, who left Thursday’s loss late. It’s a nagging damage that Jensen has been coping with for some time
The hope is Jensen will have the ability to play later within the coming week.
bgarrioch@postmedia.com
Article content material
