Stephen Halliday scores winner as Ottawa Senators defeat Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2
Stephen Halliday scored the go-ahead goal in the third period and Linus Ullmark stopped 27 shots to lift the Ottawa Senators to a 3-2 victory against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, as reported by The Canadian Press via NanaimoNewsNOW. The win opens the regular-season campaign for Ottawa at 1-0-0, while Toronto drops to 1-2-0 following consecutive one-goal divisional losses.
Thomas Chabot contributed a goal and an assist in his first game since being named team captain on Tuesday, while Michael Amadio added the other goal for the Senators. Claude Giroux chipped in two assists. For Toronto, Auston Matthews and Kirill Marchenko provided the offense, and Sergei Bobrovsky made 26 saves in the loss.
Thomas Chabot opens scoring in first period
Chabot put the Senators ahead 1-0 with 68 seconds remaining in the opening frame. The defenseman joined an offensive rush and buried a rebound at the side of the net after Shane Pinto fired an initial shot that was deflected in the slot by Claude Giroux, according to nhl.com.
It was awesome, I’m not going to lie,
Chabot said. I’ve never been the guy to make it about myself, but scoring the first one of the game was pretty cool. My parents were here too in the building. It’s been a special last couple days, just happy we got the first win of the year.
The first period proved tightly contested, though Toronto outshot Ottawa 14-4 in the subsequent second stanza as the Maple Leafs seized momentum.
Auston Matthews and Kirill Marchenko strike in second period
Toronto capitalized quickly in the middle frame. Matthews tied the game 1-1 at just 33 seconds of the second period by redirecting Morgan Rielly’s point shot past Ullmark from the slot. At 7:06, Marchenko scored his first goal in a Maple Leafs uniform on a power play. Darren Raddysh fed a pass from the point to Marchenko at the right side of the net, where the forward moved to his backhand, stepped toward the slot, and beat Ullmark’s blocker.
The goal was Marchenko’s first since being traded from the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday. It’s an amazing feeling,
Marchenko said. I am happy so much but I’d be most happy if we’d win the game tonight.
Ottawa answered back at 12:40 of the second period when Tim Stützle lifted a pass over a sprawling Rielly on a 2-on-1 rush, allowing Amadio to redirect the puck past Bobrovsky to make it 2-2.
Stephen Halliday breaks tie in third period
The Senators outshot the Maple Leafs 16-5 in the third period, completing a shift in game flow. Halliday netted the game-winner, securing the two points for Ottawa. According to Sportsnet.ca, the Senators earned a 5.01-3.26 edge in expected goals, held a territorial advantage in zone time, and won 64 percent of puck battles.
Toronto head coach Jim Hiller pointed to missed opportunities after his team hit multiple goalposts and crossbars throughout the night. I don’t want to make excuses, but somebody said we had six or seven posts or crossbars. Lots of iron,
Hiller told Sportsnet.ca.
Ottawa prepares for ongoing road trip
The Senators continue their season-opening three-game road trip through the Atlantic Division. Meanwhile, the Maple Leafs look to adjust their lines and power-play units as they search for their first divisional victory of the 2026-27 campaign.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Matchup
Who scored the game-winning goal for the Senators?
Stephen Halliday scored the winner in the third period to secure a 3-2 victory for Ottawa against Toronto on Oct. 3, 2026, as reported by NanaimoNewsNOW.
How many saves did Linus Ullmark make?
Linus Ullmark stopped 27 shots for the Senators, recording a .931 save percentage as noted by Sportsnet.ca.
What was Kirill Marchenko’s role in the game?
Kirill Marchenko scored his first goal with the Maple Leafs on a second-period power play after being acquired in a trade from the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday, according to nhl.com.
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