The Senators prospects showed up to the rookie tournament in Toronto ready to play last weekend. The rookies combined for a total of 11 goals in two games to sink both rival squads.
On Saturday, Ottawa’s prospects made short work of Montreal’s all-rookie lineup, exploding offensively to win the game 8-2.
Jack Rodewald, Matteo Gennaro, Gabriel Gagne, Parker Kelly, Christian Jaros, Filip Chlapik, Jordan Topping, and Logan Brown each scored a goal in Saturday’s tilt. Also notable was Francis Perron, who led the team in points with three assists.
The squad faced a much bigger challenge on Sunday, when the Sens went down 3-0 in the first period versus Toronto’s prospects. The team rallied in the third period with goals from Andreas Englund, Gennaro, and Chlapik to force overtime. Maxime Lajoie’s shootout goal gave the Senators the win.
Goaltender Marcus Hogberg, who entered the crease halfway through the second period, also played a solid game. The 22-year-old Swedish goalie prospect was perfect between the pipes, turning away 13 shots and stopping six shootout attempts.
While the victories might not mean much, they give Ottawa’s coaching staff a good idea of which players may be ready to take the next step. Whether any of these prospects will begin the season in Ottawa or not, fans should be pleased with the tournament results.
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For the time being, it appears that the organization is not at all lacking in depth. At the very least, the Senators’ preseason has begun on a positive note.