TORONTO — The so-called Battle of Ontario figures to be a mismatch this season.The Ottawa Senators Cale Makar Jersey Womens , who visit the Toronto Maple Leafs Saturday night in the second game of the season for each team, are a stripped-down version of a team that once made it a rivalry worth watching.While the Maples Leafs signed free-agent star John Tavares in the offseason, the Senators traded their brilliant defenseman Erik Karlsson. Left winger Mike Hoffman, a steady scorer, also was traded.Article continues below ...“Some people think we’re going to go 0-82 this (season),” Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot quipped before Ottawa’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Chicago Blackhawks in the season-opener on Thursday.The Senators had a chance to win their opener. The Hawks needed a goal at 12:18 of the third period to force overtime.“It gives us a little bit of confidence here, knowing we played some pretty good hockey,” Senators goaltender Craig Anderson said. “Something to build on.”The Maple Leafs, meanwhile, are considered Stanley Cup contenders, and they did not play as well as expected in their opener. The Leafs needed an overtime goal from Auston Matthews to defeat the rebuilding Montreal Canadiens 3-2 on Wednesday night.“I thought they kind of outworked us most of the game and had us back on our heels,” said Matthews, who scored twice in the opener, “but a lot we can learn from and move forward. It’s a good two points for us.”Obviously, the biggest question about the Senators is how they will cope without Karlsson, who would see the most time on the ice among the defenders. Against the Blackhawks, the ice time was evenly distributed among the top four of Chabot Riley Nash Jersey Womens , Chris Wideman, Mark Borowiecki and Cody Ceci, with Maxime Lajoie and Dylan DeMelo used slightly less. Lajoie, 20, scored a goal in his NHL debut.“We’re going to try different things,” Senators coach Guy Boucher said. “It’s very early, with so many new people. We were home, too, so we had last change. When we’re going to be on the road, we’re going to be more exposed. That’s clear. So, we’re going to have to figure out what’s best. … we’re getting to know these guys, and every day they’re growing, too. They’re just going to get better.”Boucher said he might have to split Borowiecki and Ceci in games on the road “to make sure we have enough experience on the different pairs.”“I thought we played a pretty solid third period,” Senators center Matt Duchene said. “We had a couple of tough bounces. The boys played great. We’re going to hold our heads high after this one. We’re going to prepare for Toronto.”Senators left winger Brady Tkachuk is listed as day-to-day with a mild groin injury and defenseman Ben Harpur was a healthy scratch Thursday.As disappointing as the Maple Leafs were in their opener at home, they did get a goal from Tavares.“In the end, we won the game,” Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock said Martin Hanzal Jersey Womens , “But, we have to work way harder and play way better than we did (Wednesday). You guys can write all you want and tell everyone how great we are, but it’s the National Hockey League and you’ve got to come to work every day. If you don’t work harder than the other team, if you don’t put your work before your talent, you don’t win. If you turn the puck over, you don’t win. There’s probably lots of good messages.”Frederik Andersen will start in goal again for the Maple Leafs Saturday with backup Garret Sparks slated to start Sunday in Chicago.“We can focus on working harder (Saturday), but at the same time, working smarter is probably a better case scenario,” said Andersen, who made 34 saves on Wednesday. “They kind of know what’s coming at them every time and we just need to be a little bit more deceptive, not throwing the puck away in their zone, just hanging onto it, making the right play.” WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) Captain Blake Wheeler wasn’t certain at the beginning of the season if his Winnipeg Jets would contend for a playoff spot. Now he has his answer.Mark Scheifele scored the only goal in a shootout and the Winnipeg Jets clinched a playoff spot with a 5-4 win over the Nashville Predators on Sunday night.The Jets are in the postseason for the first time since 2014-15 and just the second time since their move from Atlanta before the 2011-12 season. The franchise hasn’t won a playoff series since 2007.”A lot of uncertainty coming into the year, where we were going to be,” said Wheeler, who has been with Winnipeg since the relocation. ”I don’t think many people thought we were going to be where we are at Anton Khudobin Jersey Womens , a playoff team. Every single guy in here has had a huge part in that. It’s a big moment for our team and for our organization.”Jets rookie Kyle Connor scored a power-play goal and had two assists, giving him seven goals in six games. That includes a pair of overtime goals in Winnipeg’s previous two games and gives him 29 on the season. That’s tied with Vancouver’s Brock Boeser for the rookie goal scoring lead. Boeser’s season ended March 5 with a fracture in his lower back.”He’s one of the single biggest reasons why we are where we are,” Wheeler said. ”(Connor has) put up nearly 30 goals and is a real impact player playing with Mark Scheifele and I. It’s quite a surprise.”Dustin Byfuglien also scored on the power play, and Bryan Little and Blake Wheeler each added a goal and an assist for Winnipeg.Kyle Turris, Ryan Ellis, and Viktor Arvidsson each had a goal and an assist, and Roman Josi also scored for the Predators.Nashville backup Juuse Saros stopped 43 shots while the defending Western Conference champions rested their Vezina Trophy candidate Pekka Rinne after playing the night before in Minnesota.Connor Hellebuyck made 32 saves for the Jets, improving to 39-11-0.The clubs have combined for 41 goals in five meetings this season.”There’s a lot of people shooting the puck out there. They got a lot of talent on their team,” Predators coach Peter Laviolette said. ”Our guys do a pretty good job scoring goals. I can’t explain it. Both teams have good goaltending. Both teams played pretty good defense, but offense seems to rule the day.”The Predators went 1 for 5 on the power play. Turris’s 14th put the Predators up 2-0 with less than one second remaining in the first period. The Jets’ two goals with the man advantage put their power play at 2 for 5.”I think playoffs are a lot different, to be honest with you,” said Predators defenseman Mattias Ekholm when asked about potentially meeting the Jets in the postseason.”It’s most likely going to be the same players, so I wouldn’t expect anything much different. But playoffs are playoffs. I know on our part, we’re going to tighten up defensively, for sure.”NOTES: The Jets trail the Predators by five points for first in the Central Division with seven games remaining in the regular season.UP NEXTPredators: Start a three-game homestand against Minnesota on Tuesday night.Jets: Complete a six-game homestand against Boston on Tuesday night.—