Bunting scores in Maple Leafs win against Senators

TORONTO-- Michael Bunting scored his first goal for the Toronto Maple Leafs in a 3-1 win against the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday.

"Definitely a moment I'll remember for the rest of my life," Bunting said. "It was a cool experience to get one at home for my first one and celebrate in front of the crowd. I'm pretty much speechless about it, to look up and see all those Maple Leaf jerseys in the crowd cheering and knowing they were cheering for me. For a kid growing up in Scarborough (Ontario) not too far from here, it was definitely a dream come true."
Alex Kerfoot had a goal and an assist, Wayne Simmonds scored, and Jack Campbell made 20 saves for the Maple Leafs (2-1-0), who lost to the Senators 3-2 on Thursday.
"I just thought I was OK but I thought the team was amazing and did exactly what we needed to do after our last game in Ottawa," Campbell said. "It just wasn't my A-game tonight but we got a win and feel good about getting the win. I'm not beating myself up over it but I expect some areas of my game to be better, so I'll sharpen those up tomorrow."
Josh Norris scored, and Anton Forsberg made 26 saves for the Senators (1-1-0).
"Their fourth line scored on our fourth line," Ottawa coach D.J. Smith said. "That changed the game. In the second and third, we played as hard as you have to play to win a game in the National Hockey League, but you can't feel your way into a game on the road, and we did that. At the end of the day, that was the difference, the 2-0 lead was the difference. We had some guys not play hard enough early, guys that have been in the League that have to lead by example for our young guys."
Simmonds gave the Maple Leafs a 1-0 lead at 2:12 of the first period when he deflected a pass from Rasmus Sandin at the top of the crease.
"Our team started off fast tonight after three games," Simmonds said. "I think we set the tone from the start of the game and we kept rolling."

Kerfoot made it 2-0 at 8:06 when he one-timed a pass in the slot from William Nylander, who stole the puck from Shane Pinto in the left-wing corner.
"It wasn't the start we wanted," Senators forward Drake Batherson said. "In the second period, I thought we pressed and were back into the game there, but they got a big goal late. We'll bounce back tomorrow against the Dallas Stars and have a better one."
The Senators got within 2-1 at 17:42 when Norris scored on the power play. Ottawa then had a possible tying goal overturned by a review for offside with five seconds left in the period.
"That was a nice call (to go our way) for sure," Campbell said. "Coming into the third if it was 2-2, it's a whole different ballgame, so regardless, we were up 2-1 and I thought the guys came out and played exactly how we needed to play to win the game in the third and made my job easy."
Bunting made it 3-1 at 7:57 of the third period when he pulled up on a scrambled 2-on-1 with Kerfoot, skated around defenseman Victor Mete and shot from the right face-off dot. The 26-year-old played his first two NHL seasons for the Arizona Coyotes before signing with Toronto this offseason.
"Whether he's scoring or not, he's competing at a very high level; he's engaged in the game and every shift," Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said. "He wants to score, everybody wants to score, but it's very obvious he's not afraid to go to the areas where the goals are more likely to happen."
Alexander Bishop, a 24-year old who plays for the University of Toronto and played 72 games in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League from 2014-17, signed an amateur tryout contract to back up Campbell. The Maple Leafs were unable to recall a goalie from Toronto of the American Hockey League due to NHL salary cap constraints.
"We were chatting to him and talking him up and making sure he felt comfortable," Simmonds said. "Our team is all about unity, fighting for one another and being one for all and all for one."
NOTES: Maple Leafs goalie Petr Mrazek is expected to be out 14 days with a groin injury sustained Thursday against the Senators. Goalie Michael Hutchinson will be recalled from Toronto of the American Hockey League and join the Maple Leafs at practice Sunday. ... The Senators were without forward Brady Tkachuk for a second consecutive game after he signed a seven-year contract Thursday. It is unknown when he will make his season debut.