Greig available for Game 2 despite missing Senators skate

The Maple Leafs (optional) and Ottawa Senators skated at Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday. 

Ridly Greig missed the Senators morning skate, but Ottawa head coach Travis Green confirmed the feisty forward will be available to suit up in Game 2. 

Greig played a prominent role in Sunday's series-opening game against the Leafs. He scored a goal, took a cross-checking penalty on John Tavares and crashed into Anthony Stolarz while driving the net. 

"He does a good job of trying to get under the opposing team's skin," said Senators centre Shane Pinto. "That’s just the game he brings. It’s fun to be a part of. It’s fun to play with him and I’m sure it’s not going to stop."

"Loves winning," said Green. "Plays the right way. Plays hard. Everything you want in a hockey player. He doesn’t say a lot. He’s easy to coach and plays to win." 

Greig has not spoken to the media since making his playoff debut on Sunday, but is dominating discussion around the Battle of Ontario nonetheless. 

"For a young player, he plays a very mature game," said veteran winger Claude Giroux. "Plays hard, plays the right way all the time. He’s better offensively than people think. You just know every game what you’re going to get from him."

Defenceman Nick Jensen also missed Ottawa's skate, but is also expected to play on Tuesday, per Green. 

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Leafs fans serenaded Senators captain Brady Tkachuk with chants of "Brady Sucks" during Game 1. 

"In my eyes it’s a compliment for Brady," said Giroux. "They don’t do that if he actually sucks. It’s a compliment. I got booed in Pittsburgh before [when he played with the Philadelphia Flyers] and, I’ll be honest, it’s the best games to play."

Tkachuk told reporters that the jeering doesn't bother him. Teammates believe it may actually inspire the 25-year-old winger. 

"I think it fires him up," said linemate Tim Stützle. 

"I’m sure it gives a little fuel to the fire for him," said Pinto. 

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Ottawa's top line of Stützle between Tkachuk and Giroux did not hit the scoresheet in Game 1, but they spent much of Sunday night in the offensive zone. 

"We let Stützle carry the pucks in the neutral zone a little bit too easily at times," Leafs coach Craig Berube said. "I think we need to force them to put pucks in deep more than they did. I thought they gained the zone on us with possession too many times. That's a good forechecking line. They're heavy with Tkachuk on there and Stützle is heavier than you think."

Stützle, who was making his Stanley Cup playoff debut, actually led the Senators with nine hits in Game 1. 

"I just try and play my game," the 23-year-old centre said. "I think it always helps when you forecheck. I think we were forechecking a lot. They have some big, physical D so just try and get in there and get the puck back."

Stützle's line is being matched up against Toronto's shutdown pair of Jake McCabe and Chris Tanev. 

"They block a ton of shots," Stützle said. "They get position and we just got to find a way to hold onto more pucks."

"[Stützle] really can transport the puck and delay, makes a lot of really good plays, finds space for his guys," said Tanev. "[Tkachuk] goes to the net hard and can shoot the puck. [Giroux is] very skilled, played a long time, extremely crafty."

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The Senators lost 6-2 on Sunday, but it's the Leafs who are talking more about needing to adjust and improve ahead of Tuesday's round two. 

"Certainly [it will be] a bounce-back effort for them and we need to be a lot better in here ourselves," McCabe said. 

Berube sensed a "businesslike" approach from his group at Monday's practice. 

"We're ready for Game 2," the coach said. "We've had Game 1, throw it out ... We can do a better job defensively and check better than we did last game. I thought we gave up some chances that we didn't need to give up. Offensively, we've got to control more of the game in the offensive zone than we did."

Slot shots favoured the Senators 9-3 in 5-on-5 play on Sunday, per Sportlogiq.

But penalties did in the young Senators. The Leafs scored three power-play goals on six chances. 

"We’re a pretty confident group," said Giroux. "Five-on-five, I feel like we generated chances and played good defensively, so, I mean, we don’t have to change much here. You look at the score and it looks like we got a beatdown, but we just have to do what we did all year."

Only eight Senators have played in the postseason before. 

"I thought we were a little nervous at the start of the game and probably won’t be as nervous tonight to start," said Green. 

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Traditionally goalies don't do interviews on the morning of game days, but Linus Ullmark still made his voice heard after the Senators skate.

Reporters were talking to Adam Gaudette, which blocked Matthew Highmore from accessing his neighbouring stall. The Ottawa goalie wondered if something could be done to remedy that. 

When the 2023 Vezina Trophy winner took his turn in front of the media on Sunday night he channeled his inner Ted Lasso and said it was important to be like a goldfish and have a short memory. 

"He hasn’t been perfect all season," said Green. "He’s always bounced back and had good games. He’s a great goalie in the league. I’m expecting him to be good tonight as well much like the rest of our team."

Ullmark allowed six goals on 24 shots in Game 1. 

"You don’t win a Vezina by not being able to bounce back," said Pinto.  "I’m confident in his abilities. He knows how to bounce back and I’m super confident in him."

Stolarz, who missed Monday's practice for additional rest, participated in the Leafs optional skate on Tuesday. 

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After sitting out Game 1, Nick Cousins skated on the fourth line on Tuesday morning and looks poised to draw in for the Senators. 

"A guy that won the Stanley Cup last year," Pinto said. "He brings a ton of experience. I don’t think he gets talked about enough. I think he’s a super smart hockey player along the boards, wins his battles. He brings a lot to us and he’s a character, so it’s always fun to get him in the lineup." 

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Projected Leafs lineup for Game 2: 

Knies - Matthews - Marner
Holmberg - Tavares - Nylander
McMann - Domi - Robertson
Lorentz - Laughton - Jarnkrok

McCabe - Tanev
Rielly - Carlo
Benoit - Ekman-Larsson

Stolarz starts 
Woll 

Senators lines at Tuesday's skate: 

Tkachuk - Stützle - Giroux
Perron - Cozens - Batherson
Zetterlund - Pinto - Amadio
Cousins - Gaudette - Highmore

Sanderson - Zub
Chabot - Hamonic
Kleven - Matinpalo
Gilbert

Ullmark starts 
Forsberg