Max Pacioretty’s first Maple Leafs game shows he has passion

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Most NHLers who are 35 and older treat exhibition games with disdain if they must participate at all.

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Not Max Pacioretty, who geared up for Sunday’s match at a less-than-full Scotiabank Arena like it was the Maple Leafs season opener.

“I was nervous about a lot of stuff,” Pacioretty said. “I don’t think my wife has watched a pre-season game in 15 years and she was trying to find out what channel it was on back home.

“It’s a privilege to play in this league and, when it’s taken from you a little bit, you realize you can take it for granted. Even for a pre-season game, with the history of this team, it got me (jumpy) and that’s a good thing.”

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This was the big left winger’s rollout from a long summer of training, having made it past two career-threatening Achilles tendon injuries and able to concentrate for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic on properly preparing for an 82-game season.

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On a new team, with a new coach and a contract not yet secure for 2024-25, he came out of the gate with two goals and nearly a game-winning hat trick in an eventual 6-5 overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators.

“I talked to you guys about how good I felt (through a week of training camp), so I have to prove that you can’t go out there and throw out a dud,” Pacioretty said with a grin.

He played 15:35, had six shots on net and was plus-two. His goals were typically Patch, a nimble tip of Chris Tanev’s point shot and some mustard on a long snap through Mads Sogaard’s five-hole.

“I’m definitely happy to be rewarded, but I have a lot to improve on. I started to lose a bit of energy in the second period, but was able to find my legs in the third. That’s what camp is for and I haven’t had (a real) one in a long time.”

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“You guys saw in camp how the first couple of days were (under incoming coach Craig Berube), really intense, really hard. It’s a big reason we want to be in shape for the way we want to play, in your face. That was a bright spot, (for himself to still have zip) in the third.”

This was also the first game Pacioretty was back with former Vegas Golden Knight teammate Ryan Reaves, who is two years his senior.

“A great friend of mine, I always say the best teammate I ever played with,” Pacioretty said. “It’s so important to have a guy like that on your team. He sets the tone in the room every morning and on the ice, he stands up for everyone. Just the ultimate teammate and I’m so happy to be reunited.”

Reaves, who boxed Ottawa farmhand Donovan Sebrango after a hard hit from behind, was pleased to see Pacioretty step in so seamlessly.

“I’m happy for him, for everything he has gone through in the past couple of years, to battle like he has,” Reaves said. “The guy can shoot, can put the puck in the net, he’s known for that. He’s off to a good start.”

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