Sens open 2021-22 with win over Toronto

The Ottawa Senators got their 2021-22 NHL campaign off to a winning start with a 3-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs at Canadian Tire Centre Thursday.

Chris Tierney, Tyler Ennis, and Alex Formenton scored for the Sens (1-0-0) while Anton Forsberg made 46 saves. Toronto's (1-1-0) Petr Mrazek stopped 26 shots before leaving after two periods and being replaced by Jack Campbell who turned aside 10 shots. Jason Spezza and William Nylander had goals for Toronto.
"That was almost old-school hockey," Sens head coach D.J. Smith said. "Without real good goaltending that could have been a 9-8 barnburner."
It was a dream first period for the Senators who jumped out to a 3-0 lead after 20 minutes. Tierney opened the scoring 8:31 into the first as Nick Holden's centering pass to the Sens forward went in off his skate for the first Ottawa goal of 2021-22.
The lead was 2-0 through the Sens' first power play marker of the season as Ennis got a piece of Thomas Chabot's point shot at 18:58 before Formenton made it 3-0 with 0.6 seconds left in the frame on a slap shot from the right circle after the puck bounced his way after Victor Mete's pass hit the skate of Nick Ritchie.
"We got some timely breaks but we just moved our feet," Smith said. "Even though we had three, in the second period we had some Grade A looks and [Mrazek] kicked them out but in the first period they just happened to go in and we got one at the end of the first period that ends up being the winner."

After a goalless second, that saw Mrazek get hurt in the final seconds of the period, Toronto attempted to mount a comeback in the third that saw them get on the board at 3:11 thanks to a Spezza power play goal.
The Maple Leafs reduced the deficit to a goal at 8:50 on another power play marker as Nylander scored his second goal of the season and despite firing 25 attempts on goal in the third, Toronto was unable to break through Forsberg again. His 46 saves were a new career high and tied for the third most saves by a Sens goaltender at home in franchise history.
"Forsberg was exceptional tonight," Tim Stützle said. "He made so many unreal stops and kept us in the game."
Drake Batherson played his 100th NHL game tonight while Mete appeared in his 200th NHL contest.
"I really got goosebumps from the fans," Stützle said. "I think with their support, it was the biggest reason we won the game tonight."
The Sens are back in action again Saturday when they visit Toronto at 7pm.