One big key to the Senators emerging victorious over Toronto was Pinto’s play against Leafs superstar Auston Matthews. Pinto played over 13 minutes against Matthews at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick. Matthews played 22:47 but had just one shot in the loss, snapping his five-game points streak.

Is there a genuine debate about who should back up Linus Ullmark when he's healthy enough to play again? Could the Senators lean on both?

The Maple Leafs are generating 3.12 goals per game, 11th in the NHL .

The Ottawa Senators ended a two game goalless drought on Saturday night, defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-1 at Canadian Tire Centre. Shane Pinto's goal midway through the third period stood up as the game winner.

Ottawa took a 2-1 lead 2:50 into the third period when Artem Zub wristed a shot through a bunch a bodies that got past New Jersey goalie Jacob Markstrom, who came into the game with a 21-8-5 record and 2.20 goals-against average. The Senators held the Devils to just three shots in the third period.

Shane Pinto scored the tiebreaking goal midway through the third period and the Ottawa Senators beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-1.

The Ottawa Senators are in a seesaw battle for one of two Eastern Conference wildcard spots in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Not only that, but they are just two points behind the Boston Bruins for third place in the Atlantic Division with two games in hand.

When the Senators were in Utah in October, star goalie Linus Ullmark didn’t play due to injury. That will be the case again on Sunday, per Bruce Garrioch, though it’s a different injury. During Ullmark’s absence, the club has relied upon backup goaltender Anton Forsberg and AHL goalie Leevi Meriläinen.

The Ottawa Senators won the second clash with the Toronto Maple Leafs this season led by goals from Tim Stützle and Shane Pinto with Anton Forsberg standing tall in the Senators net. "The key is we just found a way to win,

SENATORS 2, MAPLE LEAFS 1 A fortunate bounce made a huge difference for the Ottawa Senators in the latest round of the Battle of Ontario Saturday night. It doesn’t matter how all that matters is how many and a bounce off centre Shane Pinto’s knee that landed in the Toronto Maple Leafs’ net turned out to be the winner in Ottawa’s 2-1 victory at the Canadian Tire Centre.

Pinto broke a 1-1 tie at 10:47. Matthew Highmore’s initial sharp-angled shot from the right side of the net deflected high off the stick of Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner, and Highmore then batted the puck out of the air to the left post, where it deflected in off of Pinto.

Joonas Korpisalo made 29 saves against his former team, David Pastrnak set up Morgan Geekie’s goal and added an empty-netter and the Boston Bruins beat the Ottawa Senators 2-0 on Thursday night.