Shane Pinto scored 16 seconds into overtime to give the Ottawa Senators a 3-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Michael Amadio hit a darting Pinto at the Leafs’ blueline. Pinto outskated Leafs Auston Matthews, snapping a shot glove side past goalie Artur Akhtyamov.
Pinto had tied the game with 2:02 remaining on the power play with Senators goaltender Hunter Shepard pulled for an extra attacker. Olle Lycksell sent the puck to the net, which eventually landed on an opportunistic Pinto’s stick.
The Leafs led 2-0 after the opening period on goals by Matthews and Bobby McMann. Fabian Zetterlund got the Senators on the board in the third, notching a shorthanded marker off a rebound of defenseman Donovan Sebrango’s shot.
Game thoughts: Takeaways from Senators win
Contract year for Shane Pinto
It’s one preseason game, but the sky is the limit for Shane Pinto. A pending restricted free agent at season’s end, the Senators would like nothing better than to lock up the 24-year-old to a long-term deal. Fresh off earning Gold for the United States at the IIHF World Championship, where he registered two goals, eight assists in eight games, the Senators 2019 32nd overall selection parlayed his success into an invite for Team USA’s Olympic Orientation Camp, and has a legitimate opportunity of being named one of 26 players to represent his country in Milan.
Senators head coach Travis Green said of Pinto’s performance postgame, “He looked good. He worked really hard this summer.”
After notching 21 goals last season, the Long Island, NY area native is being counted on as one of Green’s players who can add more five-on-five production. The Senators were tied with Detroit for tops in the league in power play goals (64) in the 2024-25 campaign. However, the team finished second-worst in scoring at even-strength.
Pinto has grown into being a dependable shutdown centre who plays in all situations whether it’s on the power play or penalty kill.
Penalty Kill Duos
Green has made it clear forward competition on the penalty kill is wide open. “We’ve got a lot of new guys. Our PK (ranked 19th) has to improve. We’re trying new guys this year. We’ve got some offensive guys.”
Several players will receive opportunities. Tim Stützle took a few shifts on the PK in the Senators preseason opener. Michael Amadio, Nick Cousins, Shane Pinto, in addition to newcomer Olle Lycksell who also impressed Senators’ brass Sunday.
Dylan Cozens and Fabian Zetterlund combined on a shorthanded marker on this night and had a few offensive chances while a man down.
Carter Yakemchuk pushing for a job
Lining up on the right side of Jake Sanderson, Carter Yakemchuk didn’t look out of place, but playing with steady Sanderson added a calmness to the rookie d-man’s game.
For his part, Yakemchuk concentrated on his defensive play during the first two periods, but when the Senators needed offense in the third period, the soon-to-be 20-year-old turned it up a notch, taking the puck to the net on occasion, displaying his offensive skillset.
Hamara time
Tomas Hamara had a solid game from start to finish. His stat line tells the story: 18:24 time-on-ice, three shots on goal, five total shot attempts, three blocked shots. Selected 87th overall in the 2022 Entry Draft, the Czech-born blueliner spent his overage junior season with the Ontario League Brantford Bulldogs, garnering 55 points (eight goals, 47 assists) in 58 games, adding 11 playoff outings, recording six helpers.
Hamara is ticketed for Belleville, where he’ll develop under the tutelage of B-Sens head coach David Bell, who’s done wonders working with current Senators d-men Tyler Kleven, Nik Matinpalo.
Senators get an ‘A’ for effort
Despite trailing 2-0 after the opening 20 minutes, the Senators owned the final 40 minutes for the most part, outshooting the Leafs 33-19, while out-attempting Toronto 54-29.
Green noted his team played better out of the gate in Toronto than they performed in Sunday’s opener, “I thought right from puck drop to the end, much better game tonight than at home. Obviously, Toronto had a better lineup tonight, there were a lot of good efforts. I like the way we committed on both sides of the puck. I thought we had good looks in the first period, could have scored.”
Leevi Merilainen stopped 23 of 25 shots faced over two periods, but credit to Belleville’s likely backup netminder Hunter Shepard, who stymied Matthews on a third-period breakaway which would’ve provided the Leafs a two-goal lead. Shepard’s right pad save permitted his club to remain in the game and ultimately forge a comeback victory.
