Senators open season with a 3-2 victory over the Maple Leafs
Ottawa Senators' Stephen Halliday, left, celebrates after his goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs with Claude Giroux (28) and Thomas Chabot (72) during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Toronto, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. Credit: AP/Frank Gunn
TORONTO — Stephen Halliday broke a tie at 9:46 of the third period, Linus Ullmark made 27 saves and the Ottawa Senators opened the season with a 3-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night.
Thomas Chabot had a goal and an assist in his first game as captain, and Michael Amadio provided the rest of the offense for Ottawa. Claude Giroux added two assists.
Auston Matthews and Kirill Marchenko scored for Toronto, and Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 26 shots. The Maple Leafs are 1-2.
Chabot opened the scoring with 1:08 left in the first period. The Ottawa defenseman joined the rush and fired a rebound past Bobrovsky.
Matthews tied it 33 seconds into the second when he redirected Morgan Rielly’s point shot. Marchenko — acquired a day before the season from the Columbus Blue Jackets in a blockbuster deal — backhanded his first past Ullmark on a power play after taking a pass from Darren Raddysh at 7:06.
Amadio tied it again with 7:20 to go when he finished off a 2-on-1 break with Tim Stutzle. Halliday provided the winning margin in the third just as a penalty expired.
Up next
Senators: At Boston on Monday night.
Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark (35) makes a save as Senators' Jordan Spence (10) pushes away the rebound and Toronto Maple Leafs' William Nylander (88) looks on during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Toronto, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. Credit: AP/Frank Gunn
Maple Leafs: Host Nashville on Tuesday night.
