The pre-season contest brought high-level NHL action to a local community arena, culminating in a dramatic extra-session finish.
How the Canadiens Outlasted Ottawa in Overtime
According to NHL.com, Jayden Struble also contributed a goal for Montreal during regulation time. Goaltenders Sam Montembeault and Jakub Dobes shared the workload for the Canadiens, combining to stop 18 shots to keep their club within striking distance.
The Senators built their offense behind new faces and established talent, as William Eklund and Dylan Cozens both found the back of the net. Cozens added an assist to cap a multi-point night. Ottawa goaltender Samuel Ersson turned in a stellar performance, stopping 33 shots—including 11 in the third period alone—to force the game into overtime and give his side a chance at victory, as reported by NHL.com.
New Additions Make Their Pre-Season Debuts
The matchup served as an important evaluation window for roster hopefuls and recent acquisitions. Both William Eklund and Samuel Ersson made their debut appearances for the Senators following offseason trades with the San Jose Sharks and Toronto Maple Leafs, respectively. Ersson noted post-game that the exhibition matches are vital for getting a feel for game speed and timing. “There’s things to build on,” Ersson said, according to NHL.com. “It’s preseason. It’s a lot about us getting a good feel for the game, get some game time, reads and all that takes a little time for that to come back.”
Kraft Hockeyville Traditions Take Center Ice
Before the puck dropped, the community celebration took center stage with the traditional passing of the Kraft Hockeyville hardware. Five members of the local organizing committee, dressed in blue hockey jerseys with white trim and the number 19, participated in pre-game ceremonies alongside a choir of 40 children aged five to 12 from Ecole primaire Sainte-Marie, who sang “O Canada,” according to NHL.com. Amanda McKay and Lara Hukezalie—representing Elliot Lake, the 2024 winner of the community arena contest—completed the ceremonial passing of the trophy to local representatives Jean-Sebastien Descoteaux, Natacha Pioltte, Alexandre Gadoury, Junior Tifo, and David Michel.
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