The Ottawa Senators are finally hitting the ice for their season opener tonight, and they’re getting a huge boost right out of the gate: Jake Sanderson is making his return from injury! That’s a massive deal for a team kicking off their campaign, even if Artem Zub is still sidelined. They’re heading into Scotiabank Arena to face off against the Toronto Maple Leafs, and this early season tilt is already looking spicy.
Senators Roll Out Some Fresh Lines With a Key Return
Talk about a statement for Game 1, right? Getting Sanderson back on the blue line is huge for the Sens’ defense. We saw the projected lines from morning skate via Jackson Starr at Daily Faceoff, and they’ve got some interesting combos. Up front, it’s Warren Foegele, Tim Stützle, and Drake Batherson leading the charge, with William Eklund, Dylan Cozens, and Fabian Zetterlund right behind them. Michael Amadio, Shane Pinto, and Claude Giroux bring some veteran presence, and Nick Cousins, Stephen Halliday, and Hayden Hodgson round out the forwards. On D, it’s Sanderson paired with Nikolas Matinpalo, Thomas Chabot with Jordan Spence, and Tyler Kleven alongside Carter Yakemchuk. In net, Linus Ullmark is the likely starter, backed up by Samuel Ersson. Oh, and get ready for the “Battle of Whitehorse” with Gavin McKenna squaring off against Dylan Cozens. You know that’s gonna be a showdown.
Maple Leafs Looking to Build on Early Win, Power Play Needs to Spark
The Leafs are already a game into their season, sitting at 1-1-0 with a 0.5 Points %. They grabbed a 2-1 regulation win at home against the New York Islanders on September 30, so they’ve got a little momentum. Yesterday’s first regular season practice showed no major lineup changes, though they had an optional skate today. Andre Leal’s lines from yesterday’s practice via Daily Faceoff have Kirill Marchenko, Auston Matthews, and Jack Roslovic as the top line. Gavin McKenna is with John Tavares and William Nylander, Easton Cowan centers Nick Paul and Colton Sissons, and Bo Groulx, Teddy Blueger, and Brandon Duhaime make up the fourth line. On defense, Morgan Rielly and Darren Raddysh are paired, as are Jake McCabe and Chris Tanev, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson with Troy Stecher. Sergei Bobrovsky is the likely starter in goal, with Anthony Stolarz as the backup. Leafs fans are already buzzing and want to see that PP1 really dial it up tonight, plus they’re just focused on beating these guys.
Tonight’s game is set for 07:00 PM and you can watch it on SN. For the Senators, it’s all about starting strong with Sanderson back in the fold. For the Maple Leafs, they want to secure another early season win and show some serious power play prowess. It’s gonna be a good one, folks!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pension Plan Puppets.
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