In a result that should have Toronto Maple Leafs fans bring out the pitchforks and demand changes across the board, the Leafs fell 3-2 in overtime to the Ottawa Senators in their second preseason game. To make matters even worse, they had a 2-0 lead and let it slip away. And even worse than that, the Maple Leafs were icing most of their regular players while the Senators had a B-squad playing for them. Gasp!
(If you didn’t pick up on the sarcasm, now you know).
The Leafs started strong against the Senators, with Auston Matthews finding the back of the net with assists going to Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Matias Maccelli.
Auston Matthews is already scoring goals 🚨 pic.twitter.com/Q5NfeYODRV
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) September 23, 2025
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Bobby McMann scored a power play goal later on off a feed from Easton Cowan, with Maccelli picking up the secondary assist. Maccelli was a standout for the Maple Leafs in this game, with his two assists making for a great first audition for a spot on Matthews’ wing.
Bobby McMann scores on the power play 🚨 pic.twitter.com/mC5Fuwpo2Y
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) September 23, 2025
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The Senators kept the Maple Leafs off the board in the second period, and pressed them even harder in the third. Fabian Zetterlund broke the seal a little over seven minutes into the third, finding the back of the net on a shorthanded goal. And after a cross-checking penalty by Scott Laughton, the Sens pulled the goalie and Shane Pinto scored with just over two minutes remaining.
On the first rush of the overtime period, Pinto ended the game.
Shane Pinto ends it in overtime pic.twitter.com/INNcfxzlYk
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) September 24, 2025
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The B-squads defeating the A-squads is the least surprising thing about preseason, but there will always be a couple of people who take things a little too seriously. One team had a team full of players looking to prove themselves, and in some cases, audition for a chance to suit up for the league tonight. The other team had a roster compiled mostly of players who have their jobs locked up for the regular season. One team had that extra juice, and one team was saving it for games that matters. You can say the exact same thing about the Maple Marlies defeating the Senators’ A-squad on Sunday.
The Maple Leafs will continue their preseason on Thursday when they visit the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night.
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