MTL@TOR: Game Recap

TORONTO - The Canadiens dropped their opening game of the preseason 4-1 against the Maple Leafs on Saturday.

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The Canadiens were back at Scotiabank Arena for the first time since May 31, when Dominique Ducharme's troops eliminated the Maple Leafs in seven games in the first round of the playoffs.

Several players were suiting up for their first career games in a Habs uniform, among them Quebecers Mathieu Perreault and Cedric Paquette.

Toronto got on the board first at the 10:27 mark of the opening frame.
Defenseman Jake Muzzin accepted winger William Nylander's cross-ice feed before beating goaltender Cayden Primeau up high to make it 1-0.
That would stand as the only tally of the first, with Toronto also holding a 9-5 lead in shots after 20 minutes.
Sheldon Keefe's squad upped their lead just 1:55 into the second period on the power play.
Captain John Tavares deflected Nylander's shot from the faceoff circle to give Toronto a 2-0 lead.
The Leafs padded their lead less than five minutes later thanks to Michael Bunting.
The 26-year-old winger redirected defenseman TJ Brodie's pass to beat Primeau and make it 3-0.
Primeau vacated the net in favor of Michael McNiven with 6:22 left in the second. Primeau turned aside 18 of 21 shots in his first outing of the preseason.
Montreal was trailing 3-0 on the scoreboard and 24-7 in shots after 40 minutes.
Forward Kurtis Gabriel scored the Leafs' fourth goal of the contest with 4:48 to play in regulation after McNiven's botched attempt to chase the puck at the circle.
Tyler Toffoli broke the Leafs' shutout attempt on a breakaway with less than two minutes to play.

The Canadiens will be holding their annual Red vs. White intrasquad scrimmage presented by IGA on Sunday afternoon at the Bell Centre. Their next preseason game is on Monday night against the Maple Leafs in Montreal.