Photo Credit: Marc Desrosiers/USA TODAY SPORTS

The Toronto Maple Leafs opened up their season against the Ottawa Senators tonight. Most importantly, Auston Matthews (and a few others) opened up their NHL careers.  Matthews, of course, was the star, having what is already being considered among the most explosive first games in league history.

Amazingly, the Leafs still found a way to let that happen, dominate the flow of play, and still lose.

The Leafs took the lead just eight minutes into this game, and who else was going to get the goal? Matthews made the most of a play initiated by William Nylander to get his first NHL tally on his first shot, and just as importantly, gave the Leafs the lead. It wasn’t one last lasted long, however. Bobby Ryan responded two minutes later, and Erik Karlsson fired an absolute rocket that bounced off of James van Riemsdyk and above Frederik Andersen to reverse the order.

Matthews quickly tied the game up with his second of the night, an individual effort that saw him beat the bulk of the Sens roster singlehandedly. He capped off a hat trick two minutes into the second, only to have Derrick Brassard pull the lead away from them with his first of the season.

With three seconds to go in the second period…

Unbelievable. Matthews became the first player in NHL history to score four goals in his debut. Unfortunately, the hockey gods aren’t fair to destiny. Kyle Turris tied the game up with thirteen minutes remaining in overtime, and while the Leafs were able to force overtime, the centre, who was once the hope of Matthews’ childhood Coyotes, grabbed a second goal in the first minute of overtime to send the Leafs home without the win.

Toronto, for the most part, dominated the possession game on this one, out attempting the Senators 68-36 at even strength. With this in mind, people will probably be quick to judge Frederik Andersen’s efforts, and it would be hard to blame them doing so. Toronto’s new starting goalie looked to be slow on his reflexes at times and struggled to control rebounds, to the point where you wonder if his pre-season injury is still bugging him.

As well, I’m not sure that I was a huge fan of the Marincin-Rielly pairing tonight. Marincin, in particular, was eaten alive by Ottawa’s speedier wingers, and having either of them playing their off-side just seems like a bad idea. Matt Hunwick’s disappearance didn’t help matters either, he took a rough hit early in the first period, and it wouldn’t be shocking to hear that he’s suffering from concussion-like symptoms when all is said and done.

Did you really have to ask? What a night. This is a game we’re going to be talking about where we were to see it for the next fifty years if all goes to plan. I was at my desk, making these GIFs.

Toronto will now return for their home opener on Saturday night, against the Boston Bruins. Puck drop is at 7:00 at the Air Canada Centre, in what should be a jam-packed day for Toronto hockey.