Sens Sink Leafs In Season Opener
Posted October 4, 2006 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The Maple Leafs organization went out of their way to make significant changes in off-season, hiring a new coach, signing a new goalie, and icing a lineup with many unique faces. But when it came to facing off against their archrivals, the Ottawa Senators, it looked very much the same old, overmatched Leaf squad that has inspired much frustration over the years. The Senators easily outplayed the Leafs, beating them 4-1 in the league opener at the Air Canada Centre.
Losing to the Senators is nothing new to Toronto — they fell to the Sens in seven of eight matches last season and may end up with an equally embarrassing record if Wednesday night’s effort is any indication.
New faces Hal Gill and goalie Andrew Raycroft both struggled. Gill looked slow, allowing Chris Neil to fly past him on the second goal of the game and Raycroft appeared shaky and uncomfortable, especially in the first half of the game. He found his comfort zone as the game wore on, but it was too late.
“I felt good out there,” said Raycroft. “It wasn’t a terrible start but I wanted to get the win.”
Patrick Eaves, Chris Neil, Cristoph Schubert and Daniel Alfredsson scored for Senators while captain Mats Sundin had the lone Leafs goal on a breakaway.
Although it was only the first game of the season, Sundin already seemed to be defending his team and their reputation for offensive impotence.
“A lot of the younger players on this team have proven they can score goals here and in other leagues,” he said. “This team, offensively, is as good as other years, teams that had 100 points. I really believe that.”
