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Thomas Chabot marked his first game as Ottawa Senators captain with a goal and an assist, helping Ottawa defeat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 on Saturday night at Scotiabank Arena. The win gave the Senators a strong start to their season, though it came at a cost after top defenceman Jake Sanderson left the game early with a lower-body injury.
Chabot Steps Up in New Role
Chabot took over the captaincy after Brady Tkachuk demanded a trade and moved to the Florida Panthers in June. The defenceman said the week-long wait before Ottawa’s season opener felt long, but the team used the time well. “It’s fun to be back home and watch some hockey at 7 p.m. on TV, but you want to be the team out there,” Chabot said. “The week was long, but I thought we put in some good work.”
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Goaltender Linus Ullmark made 27 saves to secure the victory. He described the extended pre-season wait as “pretty boring” but suggested it might prove to be a blessing in disguise. Ullmark also admitted his movement was not yet at its sharpest. “Hips aren’t moving the way they should be in the beginning of the season,” he said. “When push comes to shove, I was able to sort it all out.”
Sanderson Exits Early With Injury
The win carried a significant setback. Sanderson re-aggravated a lower-body injury in the first period and did not return. Head coach Travis Green said the team would know more within a few days. Green also noted that Sanderson made a smart decision by removing himself from the game before the injury worsened. “Sandy was smart enough to pull himself early enough that he didn’t re-aggravate it too badly,” Green said. “He just felt that it was coming and took himself out.”
Chabot said Sanderson was visibly upset after leaving the ice. “It sucks,” Chabot said. “You feel for a guy. Unfortunately, I’ve been on that side of things quite a lot over my career.” Ottawa is also without defenceman Artem Zub, leaving the team short on defensive depth.
How Ottawa Held On for the Win
Toronto applied pressure in the second period, pushing the score to 2-2 while Ottawa played with only five defencemen. However, the Senators steadied themselves and took the lead midway through the third period. Stephen Halliday swatted home a loose puck just as a power play expired to give Ottawa a 3-2 advantage.
Toronto’s attack, featuring Auston Matthews, William Nylander and Kirill Marchenko, threatened a late comeback. Meanwhile, Ottawa maintained their defensive structure and kept the Leafs from pulling goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky for an extra attacker. Ullmark made several key saves along the way, including one on Nylander in the second period that he called “90 per cent luck.” Green praised his team’s discipline. “We want to be aggressive when we can,” he said. “When you’ve got the lead, it’s important that you stay aggressive, but also play smart.”
Sideline Stories From Saturday Night
Maple Leafs associate coach Daniel Alfredsson faced his former team for the first time. Alfredsson spent 17 of his 18 NHL seasons in Ottawa before joining Toronto’s staff. “It’s different, no question, being on the other side,” he said. “We wish them the best and wish us a little bit better.”
Toronto rookie Gavin McKenna missed his traditional rookie lap during Tuesday’s season opener after Bobrovsky accidentally stepped onto the ice first. First-year players normally skate alone at the start of warm-ups before the rest of the team joins them. Bobrovsky said the mix-up was unintentional. “I came to him and I also told him … so I pretended that it was my first game, too,” Bobrovsky said. “It just happened by accident.”
Finally, Saturday also marked a milestone for Green, who coached his 500th NHL game. The former NHL forward reflected on how much he has grown since his early days behind the bench. “Like anything in life, the more you do it, the more comfortable you feel, the more things you learn,” he said. “A lot different coach today than I was 500 games ago.” He added simply: “Time flies when you’re having fun.”
