Who the hell are all these people? Jeepers, preseason is weird. Thomas Chabot is out sick so that’s also one fewer Sen I recognize.

Lines

8 Andreas Johnsson - 34 Auston Matthews - 88 William Nylander

65 Mikheyev - 15 Alexander Kerfoot- 61 Nic Petan

45 Pontus Aberg - 48 Kalle Kossila - 26 Nick Shore

20 Kenny Agostino - 32 Tyler Gaudet - 12 Matt Read

44 Morgan Rielly - 83 Cody Ceci

22 Ben Harpur - 38 Rasmus Sandin

45 Teemu Kivihalme - 37 Timoth Liljegren

Hutchinson

Halverson

First period

We’re off... and then the puck is in the benches. Great start.

Of note, Nylander took the first faceoff, with Matthews on his wing.

Brady Tkachuk earns his first penalty of the year, this time for taking down Andreas Johnsson.

First power play unit sets up, Sandin sends a rifle in that ricochets off a Senator and shortly thereafter Ottawa clears the puck for a moment. Leafs get it back and Craig Anderson freezes the puck.

I missed the first period but my impression is the Leafs are starting a lot more awake than they did yesterday. A few good opportunities denied by Anderson. Nylander probably came the closest.

Hutchinson turns the puck over and there’s a brief barrage of shots by the bad guys. He keeps everything out.

For those looking for a scouting report on Rasmus Sandin I will freely admit unless he scores I probably won’t notice him.

Nylander and Johnsson are working well together out there, they look like they’re having fun. Johnsson sets up the player in front but the player in front is Cody Ceci and he has trouble getting a handle of the puck.

Nick Shore takes advantage of a turnover from Tyler Ennis and shoots at close range. Not close enough though.

First Toronto penalty of the night. Shore sits for holding and the Sens power play goes to work. The Ottawa first unit is Bobby Ryan, Colin White, Jordan Murray, Brady Tkachuk and Connor Brown. Probably close to their actual power play unit. Hutchison has to starfish a little but denies Artem Anisimov.

Leafs are allowing the Sens in too close... I was halfway through writing that and Ottawa scored.

Auston Matthews is taken down by a Sen, that kid goes down hard, I forgot what a solid boy he is.

Ottawa’s starting to run this game which is not what I would call a good thing. It’s halfway through the first.

Reilly is upended by Scott Sabourin and the Leafs are back on the power play. Hopefully they can take back some control. Nylander starts off with a shot but is denied.

Matthews looks like he’s picking his shot but he’s stick checked and misfires.

Leafs have settled in on the back half of this power play but they’re still having trouble getting anything to the net — too many Sens in front.

Hutchinson having to go from post to post.

Brady Tkachuk grabs a pass just onside and goes one on one with Hutchinson, who shuts the door.

Ray calls Ceci one of the better players on the Senators’ lineup over the last couple of years. I have a friend who’s a Sens fan and I can tell you she vehemently disagrees with that assessment. Still, new team, who knows?

Tkachuk gets another opportunity but he’s battling Ceci this time so he’s not able to get the kind of shot off that he’d probably like.

From the comments from other members of the masthead I’m clearly missing a lot but welcome to recaps by me. Also it’s preseason. However I will tell you that Katya says “This game is about 10 times better than yesterday’s and it’s Aberg and Kossila doing most of the things that are interesting.”

Five minutes left in the period and Matt Read makes Anderson earn his paycheque. Shots are currently 10 to six in favour of Ottawa.

Mikheyev gets a pass from Kerfoot coming through the neutral zone and gets a decent shot off but between Borowiecki and Anderson he’s denied. One thing Toronto’s been doing better than I remember seeing them do last season is getting the puck out of the zone quickly.

Borowiecki fires a rifle from back at the blue line, it hits Sandin’s shoulder and beats Hutchinson. Leafs are down 2-0.

Ceci sets Kerfoot up for a tip in but Anderson is right there.

Oof. Sabourin smushes Johnsson against the boards and Harpur goes for him. It’s the same guy who dumped Reilly so apparently Harpur has had enough / thinks Babcock gives a fuck about preseason fights. Harpur and go off but Harpur gets the instigator so the Sens end the period with the skater advantage. Kenny Agostino serves the extra two minutes.

The second goal has been taken away from Borowiecki, apparently it was tipped by Connor Brown, because of course it was.

Second period

Ottawa starts with 1:42 of power play time. Hutchinson stops a shot from Murray.

Rather a lot of traffic in the crease and Ottawa’s banging away at the puck and Hutchinson. The play is whistled dead before the puck makes it through Hutchinson.

Leafs survive the penalty but right now all it looks like they’re doing out there is surviving. Most of the action is in their own end.

Matthews attempts to go through basically all of Ottawa but doesn’t manage to make it.

Flurry of shots on Anderson and then one on Hutchinson that he sees all the way.

Leafs ice the puck.

Delayed penalty on Ottawa and Hutchinson has to pause halfway to the bench to make a save. That could have gone badly.

Auston Matthews picks his spot, goes post and in and we will not have a power play. 2-1.

Hutchinson stops a shot by Murray and has to fight to find and keep the rebound out.Jeebus. That’s three former Leafs with points as Tyler Ennis just beats Hutchinson cold. 3-1 Ottawa.

I do not like this game.

Leafs ice the puck.

Sens come in offside.

Nylander passes to Reilly, who gets the puck on net with Matthews in front but Anderson is there.

Sens get a couple of chances but Hutchinson redirects them.

I know it’s preseason and we won’t see the vets really caring til the roster’s closer to set but I’d like to see a little more jump from the Leafs right now.

Verroneau makes an attempt but Hutchinson grabs it out of the air.

More icing from Toronto. 8:06 left in the period.

Agostino gets a pass from Sandin and battles his way in along the board.  Sandin puts a shot on, stopped by Anderson.

Face off at centre, puck makes its way back to Anderson but he just sweeps it out of the way and towards one of his defenders.

Ceci centres it and Anderson has to make a stop on Mikheyev.

Kivihalme circles a bit before taking a shot that goes high.

Some nice energy from the Leafs and Anderson has to make a save.

Reilly and Nylander combine again but can’t find the back of the net.

I keep realizing “oh hey this game is still going on, I should write something”, which tells you something about the entertainment level

Craig Anderson is showing early signs of being Good Craig Anderson this year as he denies Nic Petan. Ottawa might want to limit his starts if they’re looking for a high draft pick.

Mikheyev keeps Doing Things, which is good if he really does have a spot all but guaranteed.

We’re in the last two minutes of the second period, Toronto still at 19 shots on the game.

Wrist shot, kick save Anderson, Matthews can’t follow up.

I can’t believe there’s still 20 minutes of this left.

The NHL scorer recorded a Mikheyev shot as a goal and took their sweet time correcting that but the score remains 3-1 Ottawa.

Third period

Brady Tkachuk continues to be a nuisance in that he keeps getting scoring chances. It’s irritating.

Leafs seem to have decided it’s time to play hockey. They settle into the Ottawa zone and make themselves at home. Nice couple of shifts but no improvement on the scoreboard.

Ceci point shot, no dice.

Nylander and Johnsson combine for a chance. The 88 on Nylander’s jersey is going to take some time to get used to.

Reilly takes a shot, stopped by Guvstavsson. We have the backups in goal at both ends for this period. So far it’s not helping the Leafs.

Petan gets a nice shot but can’t find the net.

Finally the puck hops over Guvstavsson and it’s 3-2. It’s Auston Matthews again, naturally.

Ottawa finally realizes they might be in trouble and start making more of an effort.

Agostino battling in the corner again. He seems like he could be useful.

Leafs really looking to tie this game but a lot of their shots are from the outside or missing the net. Still a little over nine minutes to go.

Slashing call on Ottawa so Toronto gets another power play.

Nylander shoots with Johnsson at the side of the net but Johnsson can’t get the puck in.

Aberg shot generates a few rebounds in front of Guvstavsson but he eventually smothers the puck.

Rielly sends a slapper in from the blue line but Guvstavsson sees it all the way.

Ottawa gets an almost organized zone entry going but can’t keep the puck in.

Kivihalme shot is stopped, more rebound chances.

Less than five minutes left, the Sens are doing better at spending time in the Leafs zone again.

Ever time they say “Ceci shoots...!” I want him to be the one to tie the game. OTOH I’m not sure I want to deal with OT.

3:08 left, Leafs pull the goalie. Johnsson loses his stick but a Matthews shot is frozen by Guvstavsson so he has time to get a new one. Leafs take their timeout.

Connor Brown scores the empty-netter and it’s 4-2.

Harpur to Petan and that looked dangerous but didn’t go anywhere.

Nick Shore fishes a puck out of the feet of Ron Hainsey and makes it 4-3.

Well that was certainly a preseason game.

Game Coverage