After missing the first 41 games of the 2023-24 NHL campaign due to a gambling suspension, Ottawa Senators forward Shane Pinto made an immediate impact in his return to the lineup.
The former University of North Dakota Fighting Hawk registered an assist on Tim Stutzle’s second-period goal, helping the Sens beat the Philadelphia Flyers 5-3 on Sunday afternoon.
“A long time coming,” Pinto explained afterwards, according to ESPN. “Just glad we got the two points. Just good to be back. Got my first game over with. Now I can just focus on hockey.”
Pinto slotted in at second line center in his first game back with the Senators, skating alongside Mathieu Joseph and Vladimir Tarasenko, while also getting some shifts with Stutzle.
He played his first shift early in the first period, and also lined up on the second powerplay unit with Tarasenko, Josh Norris, Jake Sanderson and Jakob Chychrun.
The 23-year-old was hit with a half-season ban by Gary Bettman and the National Hockey League for “activities related to sports wagering,” but he’s ready to put that in the past.
“It’s awesome. It’s special,” Pinto said ahead of his return, per The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch. “You kind of take it for granted being around the team and how much the boys mean to you. It’s good to be back. I don’t want to get too emotional about it, but it’s awesome. It’s been a long road for me but I’m happy to be back on this road.”
Last season, Shane Pinto scored 20 goals and 35 points over a full 82-game slate in Canada’s capital. He’ll look to help a 17-24-1 Senators team — last place in the Atlantic Division — turn things around in the second half.
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