The Toronto Maple Leafs youth movement was on display at Air Canada Center on Saturday, as rookies William Nylander and Nikita Soshnikov scored the club's two goals in a 3-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators.
Save the puck! William Nylander's first career goal is an absolute snipe. #NHLFirstshttps://t.co/Pe9qzJyZr3
— NHL (@NHL) March 6, 2016
The 2014 top pick tied the game midway through the first period with his first NHL goal past Senators goalie Andrew Hammond, while the feisty 22-year-old Russian put the Leafs in the lead in the second period with his second goal since being recalled from the AHL Toronto Marlies.
— Stephanie (@myregularface) March 6, 2016
Ottawa defenseman Marc Methot tied the game early in the third and Zack Smith scored the game-winner with 2:15 left in regulation, handing the Leafs their five straight regulation loss and 10th defeat in their last 11 games.
The Winnipeg Jets, Calgary Flames and Buffalo Sabres earned points in the standings on Saturday, further increasing the gap between Toronto and the rest of the pack in the NHL standings.
The Sabres have 61 points and play the Leafs at Air Canada Center on Monday. Winnipeg has 59 points after a 4-2 win over Montreal, Calgary has 58 points after a 4-2 win over Pittsburgh on Saturday afternoon and Edmonton has 57 points and face the Jets in Winnipeg Sunday night.
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The Leafs demoted forwards Kasperi Kapanen and Brendan Leipsic to the Marlies on Sunday, as some of their injured are getting close to returning to the lineup. Kapanen went scoreless in four games with the Leafs after being recalled last week, while Leipsic (on emergency recall) registered an assist on Soshnikov's power play goal on Saturday, giving the 21-year-old three points (one goal, two assists) in six games.
Veteran Brad Boyes (upper body injury) may return against the Sabres, while P-A Parenteau (out since February 29th) is expected back for Wednesday against the New York Islanders. *******
According to Sportsnet's Damien Cox, the Leafs have given permission to defenseman Jared Cowen to talk with other NHL teams about a new contract. The 25-year-old blueliner was acquired by the Leafs in the Dion Phaneuf deal on February 9th, but was placed on waivers the weekend before the trade deadline and told by GM Lou Lamoriello that he would not play this season.
Toronto is expected to buyout the final year of Cowen's $3.1 Million contract, which will give the club a $650,000 credit against the salary cap next season.
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