The final score Saturday won’t be remembered by the Maple Leafs talent evaluators as much as the spirit of their rookie squad.

Opening the Prospects Showdown at the Bell Centre in Montreal against the Ottawa Senators’ freshmen, they were down three at one stage before a strong rally nearly tied an eventual 4-3 loss.

Luke Haymes, Jacob Quillan and Ryan Kirwan scored for the Leafs, while their most watched youngster, winger Easton Cowan, helped get Quillan’s goal rolling and took a lead role during a determined 6-on-5 push at the end.

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Artur Akhtyamov, the Russian who is starting his second season in the AHL, made 27 saves, including a few early in the third period to keep the Leafs in the game. But the second goal from Senators’

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