Had the Senators lost both games, I would almost certainly have been downplaying the significance of preseason hockey. But because Ottawa beat Toronto twice in the same night, this is quite clearly an indication that the Sens are back on track heading into the new season and the Leafs are destined for another year of misery.
Ok, maybe that’s a slight exaggeration but beating the Leafs twice in the same night is something I could certainly get used to.
Plenty of positives to take away from both games but let’s start with the effort of the group sent to Toronto to take on a pretty loaded Leafs line up. This one looked like a bit of a mismatch on paper with the Leafs icing a line up stacked with regulars but full credit to a young Ottawa line up for showing up. The Leafs held the lead for most of the game but by all accounts, the Senators were the better team. They carried the play for long stretches of the game and gave the Leafs everything they could handle.
In the process, two lines seemed to further solidify themselves as we get a little closer to the start of the regular season.
The trio of Michalek-Zibanejad-Chiasson was good again for Ottawa and spent a lot of the night matched up against the Leafs best players. This looks like a lock to be Ottawa’s second line to start the season.
Also impressive was a combination of Mike Hoffman, Zack Smith and Mark Stone. I only saw parts of the game but it sounded like Mike Hoffman was probably the best forward on the ice for Ottawa. It’s a great sign for Hoffman as he is clearly in a dog fight to grab one of those 12 or 13 forward spots to start the season. That’s an intriguing line for Paul MacLean and possibly a good third line option to start the season.
The game in Ottawa was a pretty clear mismatch on paper and the top end players for Ottawa did not disappoint.
The line of MacArthur, Turris and Ryan was too much for Leafs to handle most of the night and looks like they’ll be deadly again this season.
Bobby Ryan seemed to have a little extra jump in his game since we saw him last and a lot of that has to do with finally feeling 100% healthy again. A healthy Bobby Ryan in a contract year and on a line with MacArthur and Turris could put up some huge numbers. Really liked what I saw from the Puempel-Lazar-Robinson combination too. Curtis Lazar is getting all the attention but Matt Puempel is quietly having a really impressive camp.
Should be a big day in Sens Camp as the training camp roster is expected to be separated into an NHL and AHL group.
Ottawa doesn’t play again until next Tuesday in Winnipeg.
