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In a Battle of Manotick Goalies, the Ottawa Senators Finish Winless at the Prospects Challenge in Buffalo

steve warne
·2 min read

Over the past four days in Buffalo, the Ottawa Senators lived up to their reputation for having a below-average prospect pool in 2024.

At the Sabres' annual Prospects Challenge, the Senators dropped games to New Jersey, Pittsburgh, and Columbus by a combined score of 17-4. In the finale on Monday afternoon, the Senators fell 4-1 to the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The game featured the rare battle of two goalies from Manotick. Jacob Oster got the start for Columbus against David Egorov for the Sens. Both were undrafted free agent invites.

David Egorov<p>Sept 16, 2024: Ottawa Senators prospect David Egorov, who hails from Manotick, warms up before their final game of the Prospects Challenge in Buffalo, New York. Image credit: @Senators X/Twitter</p>
David Egorov

Sept 16, 2024: Ottawa Senators prospect David Egorov, who hails from Manotick, warms up before their final game of the Prospects Challenge in Buffalo, New York. Image credit: @Senators X/Twitter

After the game, the two young goalies probably swapped glorious childhood tales of Dickinson Days, the village's annual festival. Or they got on their respective team buses and didn't even speak. One of the two.

Carter Yakemchuk got his first goal in a Senators uniform and it'll be a while before he scores an easier one.

With the puck in the Columbus zone, Yakemchuk was heading back to his position at the blue line but then circled back to jump up in the play again. As he did, he called for the puck by tapping his stick on the ice, which not every teammate will appreciate at main camp this week.

The puck eventually landed on the stick of Jackson Stewart, who swatted a backhander toward the net. The shot deflected right to Yakemchuk who was alone at the far post and smacked it into an open net.

The game was tied at 1 after 40, but the Jackets took control of the third with three goals to win it. The Blue Jackets outshot Ottawa 27-16 and controlled most of the play on the afternoon.

Some Sens prospects will now head for main camp with the big dogs.

It starts on Wednesday with fitness testing. The first on-ice session is on Thursday. On Saturday, there's an intrasquad game at the Slush Puppie Center Arena in Gatineau. Faceoff is at 11 am when Team Black takes on Team White (rosters TBA).