Ottawa Senators
Ostapchuk Impresses, Sanderson Shines in Preseason Win

Two games, two wins. Can’t ask for much more than that. Especially since both came against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Sure, it’s only the preseason, but there have been enough standout individual performances to excite the fanbase. Last night’s 2-1 win wasn’t nearly as entertaining as the 6-5 overtime win on Sunday night, but it was a great chance to see several players for the first time this year. Let’s dive right into some analysis.
READ MORE: Looking at the Crucial First 20 Games for the Senators
Strong Start for Sanderson
A lot has been made of the strong camp for Jake Sanderson thus far. He’s coming into this season stronger than ever, all the while maintaining his excellent skating. Last night, he looked the part of a true number one defensemen. He ate up over 23 minutes of ice-time, and scored the Senators first goal of the game. He also registered six shots. Sanderson taking that next step in his progression would pay huge dividends for the Senators this season. This was a good start.
Ostapchuk Makes Strong First Impression
There aren’t a lot of roster spots up for grabs for the Senators this season. The battle for the last couple of forward spots is one of the only real intrigues for Senators fans to debate. Game one had several Senators depth forwards play strong games. Now, it was Zack Ostapchuk’s turn, and he did not disappoint. The 21 year old led the Senators with seven hits. Late in the third, he forced a turnover on the penalty kill, and showed some nice hands for the game winner. Seeing as he earned seven NHL games last season, his first season as a pro, he’s clearly a player of interest for the Senators. This strong start will only help his standing in the organization.
Forsberg Looks Solid
Anton Forsberg, in the last year of his contract, is a huge question mark for the Senators this season. He has seen his save percentage go down from .917 in 2021-22, to .902 the next year, and then down to .890 last season. The Senators would like for him to take claim of the role of the trusted backup, capable of starting at least 25 games. That’s a large chunk of the season. If he can play like he did last night, that would greatly help the Senators in the pursuit of the playoffs. To be fair, the first goal did not inspire confidence. Luckily, he settled down and ended the game saving 19 of the 20 shots against. Is now the time to mention the Leafs played a mediocre lineup and Forsberg wasn’t tested much? No, let’s stay positive and hope this solid performance is something for Forsberg to build off of.
Ridly Greig Leaves Early
This was the worst part of the night. Late in the first, Greig was thrown down on a questionable play from Pontus Holmberg. Holmberg received a roughing penalty, as Greig ended up leaving the game and not returning. Travis Green said after the game that Greig was held out because he had a headache, so the hope is that the Senators are being extra cautious with this just being a preseason game.
Game Three
Senators fans don’t have to wait long for yet another preseason game. That’ll come Thursday at 7pm, when the Buffalo Sabres come to town.