WINNIPEG — Shane Pinto took a little time, but it was worth it.

The Ottawa Senators rookie forward weaved around the offensive zone with the puck and then fired the winning shot 25 seconds into overtime for a 3-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets in NHL pre-season action Sunday.

The low shot beat Jets goalie Eric Comrie.

“I was going to drop it to (teammate Alex Formenton), but I realized they had three forwards and maybe if I faked it to Forme, they would bite on it,” Pinto said. “And he (Comrie) kind of did and I just got my shot off and it went in, so it was nice.”

Formenton had tied the game 2-2 at 12:17 of the third period with a low shot from inside the circle. He also picked up an assist on Pinto's game-winner.

Anton Forsberg started in Ottawa's net and stopped 17 of the 19 shots he faced in just over 30 minutes of ice time. Filip Gustavsson got his turn and made 14 saves the rest of the way.

Comrie made 24 saves for the Jets.

“There were some good things,” Winnipeg head coach Paul Maurice said. “You just don’t weigh these games too heavily. There would be big chunks of both teams (that) wouldn’t necessarily be starting an NHL game.”

The Senators opened the scoring in the first with a slick goal by rookie Ridly Greig. The native of Lethbridge, Alta., slid the puck between his skates, kicked it to his stick and then sent a backhand shot past Comrie at 11:30 of the first.

Jets centre Pierre-Luc Dubois replied with a power-play goal with 37 seconds left in the first to make it 1-1, but then had to leave the ice midway through the second because of Greig.

Greig cross-checked Dubois in the face and was handed a game misconduct. The Sens were assessed a five-minute penalty. Dubois returned for the third period and said after the game he got 15 stitches.

“I don’t think he did it on purpose,” Dubois said of Greig. “I don’t really know him, but I know he’s a good player, scored a nice goal in the first.

“I think he just got scared, threw his stick up. He saw me coming and threw his stick up to defend himself, which is obviously against the rules for an obvious reason. It is what it is.”

Jets forward C.J. Suess scored at 2:13 of the second for the 2-1 lead in front of 14,625 vaccinated and masked fans in attendance at the newly renamed Canada Life Centre.

Winnipeg was dinged for four penalties in the first period, including two in the opening five minutes, but Greig scored at even strength. He was the third of Ottawa's three first-round picks (28th overall) in the 2020 NHL draft.

Aside from Greig's major penalty, Ottawa head coach D.J. Smith was impressed by the young skater.

“For your first game, you score a goal, you get involved. Obviously, the future is bright for him,” Smith said of Greig. “He can skate, he can make plays, he's a competitive kid, so looks like we've got a really good player.”

Ottawa only registered one shot on goal in the middle frame and were outshot 23-15 after 40 minutes.

Both teams are back in action Wednesday. Winnipeg hosts Edmonton while Ottawa is home against Toronto.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 26, 2021.