NHL Games: Maple Leafs and Senators split doubleheader to start preseason action
Anthony Scultore
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The Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators got the NHL Preseason action started with a split squad doubleheader.
Both teams squared off and each took home a win as they look to lay the groundwork for a successful season. That was followed up by the Philadelphia Flyers taking down the Boston Bruins and the St. Louis Blues edging the Arizona Coyotes.
NHL Games: Preseason action for September 24
Maple Leafs 4 vs Senators 1
Mark Giordano led the Maple Leafs in this contest with 3 assists and Alex Steeves scored twice. Leafs goalies Dylan Ferguson and Erik Kallgren combined to make 19 saves on 20 shots.
For the Senators, Tim Stutzle opened the scoring with newly acquired Alex DeBrincat registering an assist. Cam Talbot, another Sens offseason acquisition stopped on 16 of the 19 shots he faced. Keven Mandolese turned aside all 11 shots he saw in the second half.
Senators 4 vs Maple Leafs 2
The Senators roared back from a 2-0 deficit in this contest with 4 unanswered goals.
Calle Jarnkrok scored twice in the second period, with Auston Matthews registering an assist on the first tally. Michael Bunting notched two helpers in this contest. Newly acquired goalie Ilya Samasonov looked solid stopping all 16 shots he faced before yielding to Keith Petruzzelli, who gave up three on 10 shots.
Ottawa saw four different goal scorers in this one including Angus Crookshank, Josh Norris, Mark Kastelic, and Tyler Motte, who also added an assist. Goalies Anton Forsberg and Mads Sogaard combined to stop 21 of 23 shots in the victory.
Flyers 2 vs Bruins 1
It looks like all those extra laps paid off for new Flyers coach John Tortorella as his charges came out on the right side of their first exhibition match.
Bothers Noah and Jackson Cates opened and closed the scoring for the Flyers in the win. Troy Grosenick stopped 14 of 15 and Felix Sandstorm saves all 17 shots sent his way.
Boston tied the game in the third period on a Jakub Lauko goal but could not find anymore offense. Each Bruins goalie gave up one with Keith Kinkaid stopping 14 and Kyle Keyser halting 13.
Blues 5 vs Coyotes 4
Nine goals were scored in this preseason contest on just 45 shots, so it wasn’t a good showing for the net minders.
The Blues got two goals from Jake Neighbours and Logan Brown, plus a tally from Matthew Kessel. Scott Perunovich and Tyler Pitlick each had a pair of assists in the victory. Joel Hofer struggled in net allowing 3 by him on 12 shots. Number one goalie Jordan Binnington stopped 7 of 8.
Freshly re-signed forward Barret Hayton led the Yotes in scoring with a goal and 2 assists. Nick Smaltz and Nick Ritchie each registered two points in the loss. Goaltenders Jon Gillies and Ivan Prosvetov combined for just 20 saves.