Ottawa's top-ranked defense loses Sanderson, Zub. Can they keep winning?

TORONTO — Jake Sanderson re-aggravated an undisclosed lower-body injury in the first period of the season-opener, per www.nytimes.com. The same issue had bothered the defenseman during training camp, and this time it forced him off the bench and into the dressing room.

Sanderson missed Monday’s 4-1 road win over the Bruins and will not play Tuesday against the Red Wings as he continues to recover, according to www.nytimes.com. The exact nature and severity of the injury have not been disclosed, and any return timeline beyond Tuesday is not confirmed.

Before leaving, Sanderson turned to captain Thomas Chabot for solace on the bench. “It sucks, man,” Chabot told reporters. “You feel for a guy. Unfortunately, I’ve been on that side of things quite a lot over my career. He was devastated there in the first when he told me on the bench.”

It’s a rough start for Ottawa’s top-ranked defensive group, which entered the season with the NHL’s best defensive rating and second-best net rating among defensemen in The Athletic’s model. But the unit has already proven it can absorb the loss — at least for one night.

DEFENSE HOLDS IN BOSTON

The Ottawa defense answered the question emphatically in Boston. Per www.nytimes.com, the Senators held the Bruins to just two shots on two first-period power plays while scoring twice off shorthanded breakouts in less than two minutes, the second tally coming moments after the penalty expired.

That shorthanded burst flipped the game before the Bruins could find their footing. In the second period, Boston went over 10 minutes without registering a single shot, according to www.nytimes.com.

Goaltender Linus Ullmark was held out of the third period as an injury precaution, but Ottawa finished the 4-1 win without him. Ullmark's injury status beyond that precautionary holdout has not been confirmed.

The performance proved the depth behind Sanderson and the departed Zub. Even with a patchwork blue line, the system held. The penalty kill turned into an offensive weapon, and the Bruins' attack simply vanished for long stretches.

For one night, the loss of a No. 1 defenseman didn't matter. The structure held, the goaltending stood tall, and Ottawa walked out of Boston with two points. Whether that formula holds over a long season without Sanderson and Zub remains the open question.