OTTAWA — All season, the Ottawa Senators have bailed out their goaltenders. But in the two most pivotal games, it was goalie Linus Ullmark who ensured points for his squad.
The Senators dropped a 4-3 shootout decision to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday in a game that easily could have been 6-2 for the Penguins by the second period. Instead, Ullmark gave his team a chance to win, even though it ultimately did not.
“Linus got us that point tonight,” said Senators captain Brady Tkachuk. “He played unreal tonight. He made some huge saves at the right time and we got the point because of him."
In the second period, Pittsburgh had 12 high-danger chances. Ullmark stopped them all, part of a perfect 14-for-14 night in the category. He had a plus-1.48 goals saved above expected while making 35 total saves.
“It's not surprising to us. I've said it all year. He’s a good goalie,” said Senators head coach Travis Green. “You need your goalie to pick you up sometimes, and obviously (for) that 20 minutes, he did.”
It was a similar showing on Tuesday in Detroit, when Ullmark stole Ottawa a 3-2 win in a 32-save performance.
The Swede's turnaround from his early-season stumble has become been a trend — not a blip. He has lost twice in regulation since Dec. 9 while going 13-2-4 in his last 20 games. Since Ullmark’s return from personal leave due to mental-health struggles, he’s posted a 9-2-3 record with a .904 save percentage and 6.95 goals saved above expected, according to Natural Stat Trick.
There was some warranted skepticism that Ullmark could turn things around, but he has found a way to win and has elevated his play tremendously. Even before his two recent performances, Ullmark has been Grant Fuhr-esque at times, finding ways to win or collect points despite less-than-sparkling numbers.
General manager Steve Staios could have added a goaltender at the deadline; instead, he believed in the netminder in whom he had invested a $33-million contract and significant assets to acquire.
The gamble at the deadline has worked. If Ullmark elevates back to his Vezina-calibre self, there is no reason the Senators can’t sneak into the playoffs. They sit just one point out, entering action Friday.
However, Ullmark can still be his own harshest critic.
“As a goaltender, you go out there, you feel like you're top of the world," he said after the loss against the Penguins. “And then you go out and let in two goals in a shootout, and feel like the worst one out there.”
Interestingly, the charismatic man has strong feelings about the shootout itself.
“I’ve always hated shootouts,” he said. “I’ve been a big advocate of playing 10 minutes instead. And if there’s no winner, you just get one point each. You go from there. You’re tossing a coin, sometimes, or have a bit of a circus act.
“Guys have been battling for 65 minutes, really hard, (it's a) long season. I think there’s a better way of deciding who’s going to be the winner and who’s not.”
Regardless, no matter how the former Vezina Trophy winner feels about his performance on Thursday, the loss wasn’t on him. On the season, the Senators have allowed the second-fewest shots and the fewest scoring chances and high-danger chances, all while holding the third-worst team save percentage.
That defensive stinginess wasn't there against the Penguins.
“Yeah, it's been a long time, so it was both fun and hectic and tiring,” said Ullmark.
He might have to get used to it.
“Looked a little sloppy for a bit here,” Green said of his team in front of Ullmark. “We've got five defencemen hurt; we're trying.”
With the Senators' two best defencemen in Jake Sanderson and Thomas Chabot plus three others also out with injuries, Ullmark will have to stand tall and weather the storm. Good news is that Sanderson is travelling with the team on its upcoming road trip. You don’t travel when you’re far away from returning. And you don’t travel if you don’t think you could possibly play.
Sanderson’s return would help offset Chabot’s absence, who is out up to eight weeks after having surgery Thursday for a broken forearm. While Carter Yakemchuk showed great promise in his second game and Jorian Donovan was solid, the Senators need Sanderson ASAP to make the playoffs.
If Sanderson returns soon, his presence alongside Artem Zub will be monumental. The duo has become one of the best defensive top pairings in the NHL.
Ottawa’s next eight opponents are formidable, which will test their backline. The Senators play both Tampa Bay and Florida twice, alongside Buffalo, Minnesota, Carolina and the New York Islanders. On the bright side, the Senators still control their own destiny.
As the quality of competition rises, it will test Ullmark and his team. They say you’re only as good as your goaltender.
So if Ullmark can continue his recent elite form, then watch out. The Senators might be pretty damn good.
Adams’ Apples
Milestone nights: Drake Batherson set a career high in goals with 29 after scoring twice on Thursday. Crazily enough, not only does Batherson have 10 goals in his last 14 games, but the 10 goals are made up of five two-goal efforts. The Nova Scotia native is known for his hot streaks, but this might be another level of scoring in bunches.
With an assist against Pittsburgh, Tim Stutzle reached 400 points, moving him to seventh all-time in points in franchise history.
Stutzle has already joined elite territory in Senators history; you wonder where he'll be on that list by the end of his current contract in 2031.
Nolan Baumgartner’s challenge: “He’s working overtime right now,” said Green about assistant coach Nolan Baumgartner, who is running the defence.
Because the Senators are missing five defencemen and three of their top four, Baumgartner has been trying to guide youngsters Yakemchuk and Donovan, who have a combined four games of NHL experience.
“Lots of videos trying to fast-track (them both). Some of these young guys talked about maybe having them sleep over at his house,” Green said.
Both youngsters' time on ice increased from their debut to their second game. Yakemchuk even got a shot in overtime. He also rang a shot off the bar in the third. Clearly, the 20-year-old has an element of offensive firepower possessed by few on this Senators roster.
“He made two big plays,” Green said of his Tuesday debut. “This time of the year, sometimes you just need a play.
“The games are so close, and that's why players that have skill and play a team game are really important. Because they can make a play that can change a game. He made a couple, especially his goal was a play that a lot of defencemen don't have that natural instinct.”
The seventh-overall pick in 2024 packs an offensive wallop. Moving into the playoffs and next season, the combined firepower of Sanderson, Chabot and Yakemchuk could lift the Senators into the upper echelon of offensive teams in the NHL.
