Senators 5 - 6 Maple Leafs
Final
  for this game

Maple Leafs welcome Sens to Toronto

Oct 8, 2011 - 3:21 PM (Sports Network) - After receiving a superb outing from James Reimer in the season opener, the Toronto Maple Leafs will try to ride the young goaltender to a 2-0 start when they host the Ottawa Senators tonight at Air Canada Centre.

Reimer, who had an impressive rookie season with the Maple Leafs last season, made 32 saves on Thursday to help Toronto notch a 2-0 shutout victory over the visiting Montreal Canadiens. It was the third straight year the NHL's oldest rivals played each other to open the season and the Maple Leafs have won the last two.

Matthew Lombardi and Dion Phaneuf scored for Toronto and Reimer picked up his fourth career shutout.

"As far as the team was concerned, there were a few jitters. I mean it's the first game of the season and the home opener. There's a lot of hype and a lot of energy so it's natural to have jitters," said Reimer, who was 20-10-5 with a 2.60 goals-against average for Toronto in 2010-11.

The Maple Leafs won the first four games of the season last year, but still wound up missing the playoffs for the sixth straight spring.

Toronto could be without centerman Tim Connolly and winger Nazem Kadri again tonight after both players sat out the opener with injuries. Connolly is doubtful for today with an upper body injury, while Kadri is expected to miss a few weeks with a strained knee.

The Senators will try to get in the win column tonight after losing their season opener Friday evening in Detroit. Cory Emmerton had a goal and an assist to lead the Red Wings to a 5-3 decision in what was Paul MacLean's first game as head coach of the Senators.

MacLean was hired by the Senators this past June to replace the fired Cory Clouston after the team missed the playoffs for the second time in three seasons and finished dead last in the Northeast Division. He had served as an assistant under Mike Babcock in Detroit for the past six seasons and won a Stanley Cup with the team in 2008.

Milan Michalek had a pair of goals while Filip Kuba also scored for the Senators, who got 34 saves from Craig Anderson.

"They have a good team over there and they capitalized on our mistakes," Anderson said of Detroit. "We have to cut down on our turnovers and make some better decisions."

Next up for the Senators after tonight is Tuesday's home opener against Minnesota.

Ottawa and Maple Leafs split six meetings last season, but Toronto has taken seven of 10 overall in the series. The Senators has won their last two games at Air Canada Centre, but have lost six out of nine in Toronto.






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