Poitras, Brunet join Bruins lineup as Senators seek 2-0 start

The Ottawa Senators visit the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on Monday, Oct. 5, seeking their first 2-0 start since 2016-17. The Senators say they last began a season with consecutive wins when they beat Toronto and Montreal at home that year.

Ottawa opened this season with a 3-2 road win over the Maple Leafs on Saturday. Thomas Chabot, Michael Amadio and Stephen Halliday scored, and Linus Ullmark made 27 saves.

Cam Crotty will enter Ottawa's lineup in place of Jake Sanderson, who has returned to Ottawa and will miss at least the next two games. Tyler Kleven and Jordan Spence both played more than 20 minutes in the opener, while Chabot led the defence with 27:06. Spence said the remaining defencemen would need to handle their responsibilities during Sanderson's absence.

Boston will start Jeremy Swayman, who won his first two starts of the season. The Bruins are 2-1-0 after splitting their road games in Winnipeg and Minnesota.

Matt Poitras will make his season debut after Boston added him to its active roster Monday. He replaces Sean Kuraly at centre on the fourth line, between Mark Kastelic and Tanner Jeannot. Poitras said he had spent the past few weeks working to get healthy for his return.

Frederic Brunet also enters Boston’s lineup, joining Mason Lohrei on the third defence pair while Jonathan Aspirot sits. Brunet said making the team out of training camp had given him a greater sense of belonging, and he wants to keep his place in the lineup.

Monday is the second of three consecutive road games to begin Ottawa's season. The Senators travel to Detroit on Tuesday before their home opener against Philadelphia on Thursday.