Pity anyone who showed up to the Toronto Maple Leafs’ season and home-opener against the Ottawa Senators just a little bit late.
Not only would you have missed John Tavares being named the 25th captain in team history, you would have also missed the first goal of the 2019-20 season if you got to your seats (or turned on the TV) merely 30 seconds late. The Senators took advantage of the Maple Leafs’ sloppy play trying to exit their own zone, with Brady Tkachuk ultimately scoring the first goal of any player just 25 seconds in.
A former Maple Leaf got in on the scoring, too, as Connor Brown was credited with the assist. Erik Brannstrom also registered a helper on that tally. You can watch video of that goal in the clip above.
If you want a trip down memory lane, enjoy a few season-opening goals from previous years.:
- Montreal Canadiens forward Artturi Lehkonen scored the first goal of the 2018-19 NHL season
- Nazem Kadri began the 2017-18 season with this tally.
- Auston Matthews wasn’t content to merely begin his career and the 2016-17 season with a goal. He scored four, becoming the first NHL player to debut with that many.
MORE:
• Pro Hockey Talk’s Stanley Cup picks.
• Your 2019-20 NHL on NBC TV schedule
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James O’Brien is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @cyclelikesedins.