A 4-2 victory for the Ottawa Senators saw a few firsts experienced, with D.J. Smith getting his first win as an NHL head coach and Vladislav Namestnikov getting his first goal since arriving from the New York Rangers in a trade.
The impressive team showing helped keep the Lightning’s top line limited to five combined shots, with last season’s MVP Nikita Kucherov failing to have a single shot. This strong effort allowed Namestnikov the chance to impress.
A fourth-round pick next year and defenceman Nick Ebert was what it cost the Senators organisation to acquire the 26-year-old winger and, after two games, he is already impressing in the Canadian capital.