According to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston and David Alter , Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Dave Nonis was taken to hospital during Saturday night’s home opener against the Ottawa Senators after feeling “fluish and unwell.”
The 47-year-old was attended to by the Leafs team doctor at Air Canada Centre before going to a local hospital for further testing, according to a spokesman for Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment.
Nonis spent the night in hospital and is expected to be discharged later on Sunday. He is said to be feeling better.
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The Toronto Maple Leafs had their share of struggles in the season opener against the Ottawa Senators, but rallied from a 4-2 second period deficit to win a 5-4 shootout victory at Air Canada Center Saturday night.
Mason Raymond scored a goal and two assists in regulation and a spin-o-rama goal in the shootout to lead the Leafs to their third victory of the season. Nazem Kadri, Joffrey Lupul and James van Riemsdyk also had goals for Toronto.
Kyle Turris, Cory Conacher, Jared Cowan and Jason Spezza scored for Ottawa.
The clubs traded goals in the first, as Raymond scored his second goal of the year on a nice pass from Dave Bolland, Turris and Conacher replied for the Sens and Kadri responded with a power play goal near the end of the period.
The Sens took control of the game during a 15 second span at the halfway mark of the game, as Cowen and Spezza scored to break a 2-2 tie. Both goals were as much a result of ragged defensive zone coverage as they were of James Reimer’s inability to control rebounds.
After allowing four goals in 21 shots, Leafs Coach Randy Carlyle yanked his starter in favor of Jonathan Bernier.
The home opener was the NHL debut for three Toronto rookies, as Jamie Devane, Spencer Abbott and Morgan Rielly replaced the injured Carter Ashton, Nikolai Kulemin and Mark Fraser in the lineup.
Devane saw mostly fourth line duty with Jay McClement and Colton Orr, while Abbott was plugged in on the unit with Nazem Kadri and Joffrey Lupul, but both forwards fell victim to Randy Carlyle shortening his bench later in the game, when the Leafs were trailing.
Morgan Rielly played mostly with Cody Franson and the pairing was at the center of Ottawa’s offensive success, as they were on the ice for the Sens first three goals, but the 19-year-old settled down later in the game and began to show more confidence in his passing and skating abilities.
The turning point of the game came late in the second with Spezza in the penalty box for hooking, as Lupul scored a power play goal with just 16 seconds left to narrow the lead to 4-3.
Toronto tied the game early in the third, as van Riemsdyk converted a Phil Kessel goalmouth pass for his second of the season, but Bernier was at the center of the Leafs comeback, making two sparkling glove saves early in the period to keep Ottawa from taking the momentum back and being a calming influence between the pipes, stopping all 15 shots in regulation and overtime, as well as two stops in the shootout.
After Sens newcomer Bobby Ryan toppled over the net with the Leafs goaltender in it, most of the 19,552 fans at the ACC chanted “Bernier, Bernier”.
Toronto dominated the overtime, outshooting the Sens 5-1, but could not get one by Anderson, who made 38 saves on the night. The ACC crowd was incensed when Cowan was given a two-minute tripping call instead of a penalty shot for yanking down Bolland with 14 seconds remaining, but they only had to wait a few moments to cheer as Raymond and Bozak both scored in the shootout, while Milan Michalek’s chance went off the crossbar and Bernier stopped Spezza to seal the victory.
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