Cover's rookie tournament debut was one to remember

Cover's perfect night

Saturday night, Cover suited up with fellow rookies for the Senators' first game in the NHL Prospect Challenge versus the Toronto Maple Leafs and his debut in the red, white and gold was a spectacle. He was slotted as the left winger on the top line with centre Eskild Bakke Olsen and recently acquired winger Kasper Halttunen. From puck drop to the final horn, the trio put on a show for the Senators' home crowd, and you would never know that this was their first game playing together. 

Late in the first period, Cover recorded a secondary assist on Halttunen’s first power play one-timer goal with his pass to defenceman Christian Kyrou. Late in the third period when the Senators were down a goal, Cover once again set up his other line mate, Bakke Olsen, to time the game at three. The three periods of play allowed Cover to display his excellent skating ability, powerful shot and hockey IQ. This had Senators fans (and surely the organization) grinning from ear to ear.

To tie up his night with a ribbon and a bow, Cover found his first goal as a Senator midway through overtime with a silky smooth goal that beat Leafs goalie Timofei Obvintsev on the glove side and had the Senators win the game 4-3. Cover’s post-game comments showed not only his love for the game but also his love of being a Senator.

“It felt amazing, I’d never scored an overtime winner before, so it felt amazing, and just getting to do it wearing the Sens logo for the first time felt even better” Jaxon Cover

If Cover’s first game as an Ottawa Senator rookie showed the organization anything, it’s that Jaxon Cover appears to be the real deal. His journey to get to where he is today was unique, but what’s even more special is what he will hopefully bring to the organization for years to come.