A Strong Return for Linus Ullmark

About a week and a half ago, Linus Ullmark shared his decision to take a leave of absence from the Ottawa Senators due to mental health concerns. He missed nearly the entire month of January before making his return tonight against the New Jersey Devils. With the Senators looking to climb back into the playoff picture, Ullmark’s performance is crucial in the coming months. His return was a promising start. Ullmark allowed just one goal on 27 shots as the Senators secured a 4-1 victory over the Devils. Let’s take a closer look at the details.

Ullmark’s Stellar Performance

From the moment he stepped onto the ice during player introductions, it was clear that the Ottawa fanbase was fully behind Ullmark. Fans showed their support with signs and cheers, mirroring the team’s encouragement during his time away. What followed was one of Ullmark’s best games of the season. He made several key saves to keep the Senators ahead throughout the match. His .963 save percentage was his second-best of the season. For the Sens to make a strong push toward the playoffs, Ullmark needs to continue playing at this level.

Jake Sanderson Shines Again

This could be the headline for most Ottawa Senators games these days. Jake Sanderson has proven himself to be one of the top defensemen in the league. He played over 26 minutes, recorded two assists, blocked three shots, and contributed over seven minutes while shorthanded as the Senators went a perfect five for five on the penalty kill. Sanderson now has 44 points on the season, tying him for seventh among defensemen.

Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stützle Deliver

Brady Tkachuk only played 13 minutes in the game, but he managed to score a power play goal, assist on Dylan Cozens’ game-winner, and then add an assist on Stützle’s goal to seal the victory. This brings Tkachuk to seven points during the Senators’ three-game winning streak. As for Stützle, he scored the goal that put the Senators up 3-1, but he could have had more. He was stopped on a breakaway and came dangerously close to scoring a highlight-reel goal when he almost chipped the puck up and hit it into the net from tight. He also assisted on Tkachuk’s goal. With 25 goals, Stützle has already surpassed last season’s total of 24.

Additional Notes

What a difference a week makes. The Senators were coming off a 4-1 loss to the Hurricanes at this point last week, their fourth loss in five games. Now, they’ve won three in a row, outscoring their opponents 16-4 in those games. They’ve managed these wins with three different goalies (Sogaard, Reimer, and Ullmark). The only downside from this game was Thomas Chabot having to leave partway through the third period due to an injury. Hopefully, it’s not serious. The Senators only have three games left before the break, and they can’t afford many losses with the East being so competitive. Their next game is on the road against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday.

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