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As much intrigue that can possibly exist in a late September, split-squad pre-season NHL game, that is.

With Babcock at the helm, the Leafs went three-for-six on the power play and topped the Senators 4-1 in Toronto, while the other half of the squad won 4-3 in overtime in Ottawa.

Speaking of Babcock, the former Detroit Red Wings coach received a loud ovation from fans when his face was shown on the big screen in the first period, a sign that despite a predicted painful season, Babcock’s presence is appreciated.

The new head coach was seen talking to his players on the bench throughout the game and said he liked his team’s effort in the second and third, especially.

“It’s an exhibition game, obviously, they had a lot of their guys in Ottawa,” he said following the win. “It’s hard to tell in some ways. I thought our guys executed not bad in their own zone, had speed on the rush, and got on their defence a little bit.”

In another Leafs debut, P.A. Parenteau, who signed a one-year deal in the offseason after being bought out by the Montreal Canadiens, made a good first impression scoring twice on the power play.

“You always want to do that. I think I felt pretty comfortable out there tonight. I think most of the team did. It’s a good first game.”

Parenteau scored in the first on the power play, beating Senators netminder Andrew Hammond with a slap shot. He’d net his second power play goal of the night when he rifled home a pretty pass from 2014 first-round draft pick William Nylander.