Carter Yakemchuk’s power-play goal lifts Senators in home opener, but William Eklund’s leg injury looms

The Ottawa Senators opened their home schedule with a 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night, improving to 3-1-0, and the difference-maker was Carter Yakemchuk. His power-play one-timer late in the third period became the winning goal, turning a tight game into a breakthrough that felt earned rather than easy.

Yakemchuk’s finish carried the Senators through a matchup that stayed close from start to finish. According to the report, the goal came on the power play and arrived at a critical moment in the third period, when late pressure often decides whether a home opener becomes a statement or just another win on the schedule.

Still, the evening had an unsettling undertow. The Senators also faced another key injury, this time involving William Eklund, whose leg injury cast a shadow over what otherwise looked like a solid early-season performance. The win matters, but so does the uncertainty that comes with any injury to a player expected to contribute in all phases of the lineup.

For Ottawa, the timing is especially difficult. A young season is long, but early October stretches quickly turn into a test of depth and structure. With Eklund’s status unclear, the Senators will need to manage minutes and responsibilities in the short term, while also continuing to build chemistry in situations that require trust, timing, and repetition.

The Flyers, meanwhile, left the ice with the lesson that their work can keep a game in reach, even against a team that finds ways to finish when power-play chances appear. Ottawa’s ability to convert on special teams is part of what separated the teams, even as the overall scoreline remained within one goal of either side.

What to watch next is how quickly Ottawa can assess Eklund’s leg injury and whether they can maintain the same special-teams edge that Yakemchuk’s goal highlighted. If Eklund is forced to miss time, Ottawa’s forward group will likely need to adjust roles, and the Senators’ ability to absorb that shift will be a measuring stick for how durable the early-season success really is.

For now, the Senators have something tangible to build on: a home-opener win and a reminder that their power play can produce in late-game moments. But the balance of the season’s momentum may hinge on the answers coming out of the injury update for Eklund, a development that could shape Ottawa’s next few weeks more than any single goal.