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Nick Robertson didn’t score in Ottawa on Tuesday night.
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Given the competitive fight for jobs on the wings in the preseason, the 23-year-old had to be hoping for more in the Leafs’ second preseason game.
The Leafs lost 2-1 at the Canadian Tire Centre against the Ottawa Senators with the deciding goal scored by Zack Ostapchuk at 12:36 of the third period after he intercepted a pass by Toronto defenceman Nicolas Mattinen and beat Dennis Hildeby with a deke.
Robertson played in all situations and had 18 minutes 40 seconds of ice time, second among Leafs forwards to Bobby McMann’s 18:44. Though Robertson played with the kind of hustle we’ve come to expect from him, he wasn’t able to make an offensive difference against a Senators team that dressed many of its veterans.
Robertson finished with two shots on goal and six attempts.
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If you’re going to remember anything from the Leafs’ first two preseason games, it’s that Max Pacioretty scored two goals in the opener on Sunday and Robertson didn’t respond in that manner 48 hours later.
Alex Steeves hasn’t been in serious consideration for a bottom-six job with the Leafs, but he ensured he was noticed when he opened the scoring at 6:29 of the first, beating Sens goalie Anton Forsberg with a quick shot along the ice. Steeves also led all Leafs with eight hits.
Goaltender Anthony Stolarz, in his Toronto preseason debut after signing a two-year, $5-million US contract in July, sparkled.
Stolarz started in the Leafs net and stopped 15 shots, allowing only a goal by Sens defenceman Jake Sanderson at 16:27 of the first period. Before giving way to Hildeby midway through the second as planned, Stolarz played with the kind of confidence you would expect from someone who won the Stanley Cup (to be sure, in a minor role) with the Florida Panthers last spring.
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