TORONTO, Oct. 3 (UPI) -- Wade Redden, Marian Hossa and Todd White scored power-play goals Wednesday night as the Ottawa Senators downed the Toronto Maple Leafs, 5-4, in the opening game of the NHL's 85th season.
Ottawa was none for 16 on the power play in April as Toronto completed a sweep of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series and eliminated the Senators for the second year in a row.
But the Senators were three for five with the extra man Wednesday and held on for their sixth straight regular-season triumph in the "Battle of Ontario."
White's goal 8:18 into the third period proved to be the game-winner. With Toronto defenseman Cory Cross in the penalty box for holding, Daniel Alfredsson centered from along the goal line on the right side and White slammed a shot past goaltender Curtis Joseph.
It gave Ottawa a seemingly safe 5-3 lead, but goalie Patrick Lalime misplayed the puck behind his net and Gary Roberts took advantage of the miscue by scoring with 69 seconds remaining.
Ottawa improved to 6-1-3 in season openers.
Lalime made 23 saves to improve to 6-0 lifetime against the Maple Leafs.
It was not a good night for Joseph, who stopped only 19 shots after allowing just two goals in his first three season openers in a Toronto uniform. Alexander Mogilny had a solid Maple Leafs debut, however, scoring a pair of power-play tallies after signing as a free agent in the offseason.
