The Ottawa Senators didn't have the night they wanted against the Toronto Maple Leafs, dropping both games of their split-squad matchup by scores of 6-1 and 4-2.
Obviously, it's preseason and there isn't a ton to panic over. That said, it's not ideal to lose both games and be outscored 10-3. There were some moments in the game that showed promise, including Tim Stutzle's goal to open the game in Toronto. However, after that, there wasn't much to look at and be proud of.
Dropping both games wasn’t ideal for the Senators
The 6-1 loss was especially tough to watch because Toronto had a lot of its top NHL players in the lineup. Including Auston Matthews and Gavin McKenna, who both stood out in that game, and the Maple Leafs were able to take control pretty quickly. Ottawa had some good moments early, but once Toronto started creating chances, the Senators didn't have much of an answer.
The second game was a little different. Ottawa stayed in the game longer and only lost by two goals, but the result was still the same. The Senators weren't able to generate enough offence to really put pressure on Toronto, and that is something they are going to want to see change as the preseason continues.
There were some individual performances worth looking at, but that is also what preseason is for. Ottawa is still trying different players in different spots, and there are a few roster battles that need to be sorted out before opening night.
The biggest thing is that Ottawa needs to start finding some consistency. There were stretches where the Senators looked good, but they weren't able to sustain it for long enough. Especially against a team that has as much offensive skill as Toronto. Inconsistencies can turn into a problem pretty quickly.
Nobody is going to care about the preseason record once the regular season starts. Ottawa has plenty of time to make adjustments and figure out what works, and there is still one more preseason game to play. Still, getting outscored 10-3 by one of their biggest rivals isn't exactly the way the Senators' organization or fan base wanted to see it play out.
The Senators will have another chance to get things going in their next game against the Montreal Canadiens, and it will be interesting to see how the group responds. And while the result isn't the most important thing right now, Ottawa should try and put forth a better effort than they did against Toronto last night.
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