Game #1: Leafs 3 vs. Canadiens 2

Leafs scorers: Brent (1), Kessel (1), MacArthur (1)
Canadiens scorers: Boyd (1), Halpern (1)
Links: Box Score | Discussion boards

Forward lines:Versteeg-Bozak-Kessel, Kulemin-Grabovski-MacArthur, Sjostrom-Brent-Armstrong, Orr-Zigomanis-Brown
Defence pairings: Beauchmein-Phaneuf, Kaberle-Schenn, Gunnarsson-Komisarek
Goaltenders: Giguere (Win, 58:49 minutes played, 26 SV, 2 GA), Gustavsson (0:00)
Noteworthy:
-Dion Phaneuf missed the first half of the third period after being accidentally cut in the leg with an opponents skate. “A couple of stitches, nothing too serious. It was fine,” said the Leafs captain.
-Goalie J.S. Giguere was called upon to make a flurry of stops in the final seconds of the game as Montreal desperately tried to tie the score with a sixth attacker. “Anything can happen in those last seconds,” said Giguere. “You know they’re going to throw everything at the net, and I saw (Brian) Gionta had a little bit of room there. All I wanted to do was cover the bottom of the net, and I don’t think he had enough room to put it up.”
-Tim Brent, who played in the Leafs final game of last season at Montreal’s Bell Centre, opened the scoring for Toronto in the 2010-11 campaign. “It’s like a dream, being a Leaf fan growing up and then being here opening night. Scoring a goal is like icing on the cake,” said Brent.
-The Leafs were 0-for-5 on the power-play while the Canadiens were 0-for-3.

Pre-season score: Leafs 4, Senators 3

Leafs scorers: Kulemin, Kadri (2), Kessel
Senators scorers: Michalek, Campoli, Alfredsson
Links: Box Score | Discussion boards

Forward lines:Kadri-Bozak-Kessel, Caputi-Grabovski-Kulemin, Sjostrom-Brent-Armstrong, Orr-Mitchell-Rosehill
Defence pairings: Beauchmein-Phaneuf, Kaberle-Komisarek, Gunnarsson-Holzer
Goaltenders: Giguere (Win, 59:28 minutes played, 22 SV, 3 GA), Reimer (0:00)
Noteworthy:
-Nazem Kadri had two goals and an assist and was named the game’s first star.
-Special teams were the order of the day for the Leafs, as they went 3-for-9 on the power-play, while killing all 5 shorthanded situations against.
-Fredrik Sjostrom played in his first game of the pre-season after recovering from shoulder surgery, logging 13:31 of ice time with one shot on goal.
-Leafs players Kris Versteeg and Danny Richmond were given the night off so that they could travel to Chicago for the Blackhawks’ Stanley Cup ring ceremony.

Pre-season score: Leafs 5, Sabres 4

Leafs scorers: Kessel (2), Kulemin (2), Hanson
Senators scorers: Stafford, Gerbe (2), Leopold
Links: Box Score | Discussion boards

Forward lines:Versteeg-Bozak-Kessel, Kulemin-Grabovski-MacArthur, Caputi-Brent-Armstrong, Orr-Hanson-Brown
Defence pairings: Beauchmein-Phaneuf, Kaberle-Komisarek, Gunnarsson-Schenn
Goaltenders: Gustavsson (Win, 60:00 minutes played, 35 SV, 4 GA), Reimer (0:00)
Noteworthy:
-Phil Kessel and Nikolai Kulemin each scored two goals. “My linemates helped me a lot tonight,” said Kulemin of Mikhail Grabovski and Clarke MacArthur. “Everybody worked hard on that line. There’s a good atmosphere on the team now.”
-Head coach Ron Wilson sees more confidence in Kulemin than at this time last year. “He’s shooting the puck more, he doesn’t overhandle it, but gets it to the puck carriers and drives his feet. Hopefully, these aren’t just goals in pre-season.”
-MacArthur, a former Sabre, finished with two assists in 15:12 of ice time.

Pre-season score: Leafs 3, Flyers 2

Leafs scorers: McKegg, Armstrong, shootout winner: Armstrong
Flyers scorers: Carter, Guerin
Links: Discussion boards

Forward lines: Versteeg-Kadri-Armstrong, Caputi-Hanson-Boyce, Hamilton-McKegg-Mueller, Rosehill-Brent-Brown
Defence pairings: Beauchemin-Schenn, Lebda-Holzer, Lashoff-Richmond
Goaltenders: Reimer (shootout win), Gustavsson

-The game was decided after an 11-round shootout. Nazem Kadri, Luca Caputi, Christian Hanson and Colby Armstrong had the shootou goals for Toronto.
-Goaltender James Reimer was outstanding, played the second half of the game, including the entire shootout
-Greg McKegg, a London native, scored the first game for the Leafs in front of a hometown crowd at the John Labatt Centre.
-Defenceman Danny Richmond had a very strong outing, assisting on the tying goal, and also making some offensive rushes that resulted in quality scoring chances for the Leafs.
-Leafs defencemen Brett Lebda and Matt Lashoff left the game with shoulder injuries. Wilson described both ailments as ‘minor
-Kadri, like McKegg, also had the pleasure of scoring in front of a home crowd. His shootout goal came almost one year to the day of his pre-season shootout goal vs. Pittsburgh.

Video: Flashback: Nazem Kadri’s shootout goal vs. Pittsburgh, Sept. 22, 2009

Pre-season score: Leafs 4, Senators 1

Leafs scorers: Kulemin, Kessel, Caputi, Grabovski
Senators scorers:Foligno
Links: Box Score | Discussion boards

Forward lines: Kulemin-Bozak-Kessel, MacArthur-Grabovski-D’Amigo, Caputi-Mitchell-Boyce, Rosehill-Foster-Orr
Defence pairings: Beauchemin-Komisarek, Blacker-Schenn, Richmond-Mikus
Goaltenders: Reimer (Win, 31:41 minutes played, 7 saves, 1 GA), Scrivens (28:18, 10 saves, 0 GA)
Noteworthy:
-Luca Caputi was the game’s first start with one goal and one assist.
-After going 0-for-8 on the power-play on Tuesday night, the Leafs responded with three power-play goals.
-Defenceman Luke Schenn led all Leafs with 24:13 of ice time.
-Mike Komisarek made the highlight reels after bodychecking Ottawa’s Francois Leassard over the boards, into the area where TSN’s Pierre McGuire was doing commentary between the benches. “Actually, I was trying to get Pierre out of there,” said Toronto coach Ron WIlson. “You don’t know how truthful that statement is. I’ll probably get a pat on the back from a lot of coaches in the league … Pierre knows I’m kidding.”

Senators 5, Leafs 0

Leafs scorers: (none)
Senators scorers:Winchester, Foligno, Locke, Neil, Kelly
Links: Box Score | Discussion boards

Forward lines: Versteeg-Kadri-Armstrong, D’Amigo-Irwin-Mueller, Rosehill-Hanson-Brown, Hamilton-Zigomanis-Crabb
Defence pairings: Gunnarsson-Phaneuf, Lebda-Kaberle, Gysbers-Lashoff
Goaltenders: Gustavsson (Loss, 32:58 minutes played, 16 saves, 2 GA), Rynnas (26:55, 10 saves, 3 GA)
Noteworthy:
-Toronto struggled on the power-play, going 0-for-8.
-Five straight minor penalties were called against Ottawa in a 5:17 span in the second period. Toronto was awarded a total of 3:16 of two-man power-play time, but couldn’t score. “Not unlike last year, we were very hesitant to move pucks quickly,” said head coach Ron Wilson about the team’s struggles with the man advantage.
-The Leafs top line had by far the most ice time of all forwards: Nazem Kadri (21:37), Kris Versteeg (22:26) and Colby Armstrong (23:08).
-Leafs forward Christiah Hanson engaged in fisticuffs with Ottawa’s Brian Lee late in the third period. “It was the first fight in my family ever,” joked Hanson, son of Dave Hanson of “Slap Shot” fame.