The Ottawa Senators bring big momentum from their most impressive win of the season into their game against the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night.
The Senators defeated the New York Rangers 6-2 on Tuesday night, representing what might be Ottawa’s most complete game early on.
“Offensively, for sure,” Senators coach D.J. Smith said. “There was a stretch in the second period where we were racing around. As a team that’s trying to be good every day, you can’t have those little lapses.”
It was the second consecutive win for the Senators following a three-game losing streak. Smith was impressed by the performance against a top-quality opponent.
The Senators announced Wednesday that former head coach Jacques Martin is joining D.J. Smith’s staff as a senior adviser.
Martin, the longest-tenured coach in franchise history, led the Senators for parts of nine seasons from 1996 through 2004, guiding Ottawa to eight straight playoff appearances. He had a 341-255-96 regular-season record with Ottawa.
The Senators were a responsible team defensively under Martin, an area that has been a challenge for the current group. Ottawa currently sits tied for 26th in goals against (65), are ranked 19th with a 3.25 goals-against average and their penalty kill is 28th.
Martin has a reputation as a teacher and will be counted on to help bring structure to the Senators’ defensive game.
Toronto is coming off a 4-3 overtime home loss to the Boston Bruins on Saturday. The Maple Leafs will start Joseph Woll in goal on Thursday with Ilya Samsonov (illness) listed as day-to-day. Martin Jones, recalled from the Toronto Marlies of the AHL, could back up Woll. Jones was the backup on Saturday.
The Senators complete a three-game homestand on Thursday. After losing 4-2 on the road to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday, Ottawa returned home to defeat the Seattle Kraken 2-0 on Saturday ahead of the big Rangers win.
The Maple Leafs have gone to overtime or a shootout in five of their past six games, winning three. Before losing to Boston, they won their two previous home games in shootouts. Toronto forced overtime against Boston when Auston Matthews scored with six seconds left in the third period.
“I do think it’s a good spot to get used to,” Toronto defenceman Morgan Rielly said. “Down one or tied in the third period is not a comfortable feeling, but the more you’re exposed to it, the better. Ultimately, we want to keep growing our game [and winning in regulation]. We have a calm bench and in those instances, we trust our structure and each other so we can just go out and play.”
Toronto general manager Brad Treliving told reporters after Wednesday’s practice that defenceman John Klingberg, 31, is set to undergo hip surgery in the coming weeks that will keep him sidelined up to six months.
Klingberg signed a US$4.15-million contract with the Leafs in free agency with an eye toward the smooth-skating Swede adding to the team’s attack.
But he struggled early and never looked comfortable in Toronto, registering five assists in 14 games.
Reuters with The Canadian Press