"We're just trying to get better with the details and focus on getting our system right," said Cozens.

The Battle of Ontario was fought on two fronts on Wednesday night.

The Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs held a pre-season version of their rivalry with split-squad games at the Canadian Tire Centre and at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.

In front of an announced crowd of 11,765 at the Canadian Tire Centre, Ryan Tveberg scored the winner late in the third period to give the Leafs a 4-2 victory over the Senators.

The group that the Senators sent to Toronto was hammered 6-1 by the Leafs.

There wasn’t much intensity in Ottawa or Toronto, but that should change the next time these teams meet. The Senators will open their regular season against the Maple Leafs on Oct. 3 in Toronto. That will be Toronto’s third regular-season game.

The Leafs essentially sent the Marlies to Ottawa, while the Senators went with a mix of their opening night rosters and prospects in both cities. Coach Travis Green said that the organization felt that was the best way to get a look at everybody.

“You go back and forth, and you think about it all summer when you have a split game, whether to load up one team, load up another team, send your good team on the road, or (play them) at home,” said Green. “Our preference is to split them up as best we can.”

This night was proof as to why the National Hockey League has limited the length of camp and cut down on pre-season games.

Through 40 minutes, only Dylan Cozens had beaten Toronto goalie Anthony Stolarz, and the two clubs were tied 1-1.

“We’re just trying to get better with the details and focus on getting our system right,” said Cozens.

The shots were 14-14, and there wasn’t a whole lot happening. Ottawa’s Sammy Blais made his presence felt by delivering a big hit and dropping the gloves, but that was the highlight.

Green confirmed on Wednesday that defenceman Artem Zub won’t play in the season opener. To make the scenario a little more interesting, Jake Sanderson and Jordan Spence are also nursing minor ailments.

Zub is still nursing a knee injury he suffered in the playoffs last spring, and the Senators insisted he would be ready to start the season. Since that’s not happening, veteran Ben Hutton is pushing for a contract, while prospect Carter Yakemchuk is trying to lock up a spot.

Hutton was with veteran Cameron Crotty in a pairing in Ottawa, while Tyler Kleven skated with Yakemchuk in the first pairing in Toronto. Nikolas Matinpalo can also take on more responsibility, but there is a scenario where Hutton earns a contract.

Senators defenceman Hoyt Stanley scored a beauty to tie the game 2-2 at 10:42 of the third period. That was moments after Steven Lorentz had scored to give the Leafs the lead.

The Senators also were with veteran blueliner Thomas Chabot in Ottawa. He said in the morning that he was sitting by his phone because his wife, Marion, is due to give birth to the couple’s first child any day.

“He texted me this afternoon and said he didn’t think he’d be able to make it,” Green said.

That meant Matthew Andonovski was a late addition, and he dropped the gloves with Toronto’s Landon Sim in the first period.

This was the first chance for fans to see Linus Ullmark in the Senators net.

Backup goaltender Samuel Ersson made the start in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Monday in Trois-Rivieres, so this was a good chance for Ullmark to begin the work to get ready for the season.

A lot of this club’s success will depend on Ullmark being sharp on a nightly basis, and this night will help him shake off the rust. He wasn’t tested a lot, which is a good thing.

Ullmark couldn’t do much on the opening goal by Henrik Rybinski. He dragged a puck and went upstairs to give the Leafs a 1-0 lead.

Somehow, the officials missed it, and the play continued, but the clock was rolled back to 16:09 to give the Leafs a 1-0 lead. The scoreboard briefly read 8-0 for Ottawa. Hey, it’s pre-season for everyone.

“I was pretty sure it went in,” Rybinski told TSN’s Claire Hanna after the second period. “I thought, ‘Are they going to review the rules?'”

Even with split-squad games, there isn’t a lot of time for those pushing for spots or looking to get called up from the club’s American Hockey League affiliate in Belleville to make an impression.

That’s why the Senators were also keeping a close eye on the game in Toronto.

Leevi Merilainen, who will require waivers to be sent to Belleville, made the start for the Senators. He’s the No. 3 goalie in the organization, but is coming off a terrible season.

Ottawa was outplayed, but there should be little concern about Merilainen being claimed on waivers. He was pulled in the third period after giving up six goals on 27 shots.

Top centre Tim Stutzle opened the scoring with a beauty against the Leafs in Toronto. He took a pass from Andre Burakovsky, skated around the Leafs’ defenders and held on long enough to backhand it home.

bgarrioch@postmedia.com