TORONTO (AP) – Daniel Alfredsson scored twice in the final six minutes of regulation and once during the first shootout in NHL history as the Ottawa Senators rallied for a 3-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday night.
Toronto captain Mats Sundin didn’t return after being struck in the face by a puck seven minutes into the first period, forcing him to leave for the dressing room with a cut around his right eye. He didn’t return.
Alfredsson tied it at 2 with 1:02 left in regulation, sending the game to overtime. After a scoreless five-minute extra period, Alfredsson scored on Ottawa’s first attempt as the teams played under the new shootout rules.
Toronto’s Jason Allison and Eric Lindros failed on their attempts against Dominik Hasek, but Dany Heatley scored on Ottawa’s third chance, clinching the victory for the Senators.
Bryan McCabe’s slap shot on the power play beat Hasek to the glove side at 2:28 of the first to give Toronto a 1-0 lead.
Sundin dropped to the ice after getting hit in what appeared to be his right eye. He looked in obvious pain as blood poured and was helped to the dressing room. There was no immediate word on the severity of the injury.
Alfredsson tied it at 1 with 5:48 left with a shot that beat Ed Belfour from in front of the net.
After Lindros knocked Ottawa’s Mike Fisher down with a check with less than four minutes left, Ottawa enforcer Chris Neil went after Lindros and received a minor penalty for cross checking.
Lindros, playing his first game with his hometown team, received a rousing ovation. He then gave Toronto a 2-1 lead with a power-play goal with 1:31 remaining.
Hasek, 40, played his first game for the Ottawa and his first since December 2003. He finished with 23 saves.
Belfour made 14 saves in the first, including a spectacular glove save on Bryan Smolinski, and finished with 21 stops
Notes: Maple Leafs fans were given a miniature replica of the Stanley Cup. The Maple Leafs haven’t won since 1967. … The Senators and Maple Leafs play each seven more times this season. … Toronto’s Wade Belak didn’t play because of a spider bite.
AP-ES-10-05-05 2321EDT
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