Sens top Leafs in OT on Stone goal

OSHAWA, Ontario – The Oshawa Rookie Tournament wrapped up on Tuesday night with the Battle of Ontario, and the Ottawa Senators outlasting Toronto Maple Leafs in a 4-3 overtime tilt.

Mark Stone scored the winner for the Senators after the Leafs tied the score in the final minute of regulation with goaltender Mark Owuya pulled for an extra attacker.

“We talked today about introducing these young players to the rivalry,” Ottawa prospects coach Kurt Kleinendorst said. "Say what you want, you can sense it out there … there’s just something to these games. There’s just not a whole lot of 'like' out there between either team.”

Ottawa led off the scoring, as Shane Prince fed a pass to Stephane Da Costa, who flicked a wrister under the arm of Owuya.

The Senators continued to press, when Louie Caporusso gained control of the puck behind the net, and passed it off to Jakub Culek in the slot. Culek then wristed the puck past Owuya, putting the Sens up 2-0.

The Leafs got on the board late in the second, during a 5-on-3 power play. Matt Frattin one-timed a pass from Mitchell Heard, beating Robin Lehner blocker side.

As the third period began, the Senators found themselves down a man when Sondre Olden beat a screened Lehner from the top of the face-off circle. However, Ottawa countered when Shane Prince dished the puck to Mika Zibanejad, who quickly flicked a nifty backhand into the net.

But with 48 seconds left and Owuya out of the net, Greg McKegg jammed a puck past Robin Lehner on a tic-tac-toe feed from Josh Nicholls and Mitchell Heard, knotting it at 3-3, and forcing the game into overtime.

Two minutes into the extra frame, it was the Senators having the last laugh when Stone skated in alone through the slot, and rocketed the winning shot past Owuya. Stone was all smiles as he tried to recall the moment.

“I just remember getting the puck at the blue line and having a clear lead to the net,” Stone said. “I was looking to feed it and grab it back-door, but the defenseman, he bit real hard. So I had a clear lane and I just put it in the back of the net.”

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