Linus Ullmark's best performances have turned the Senators' season around

OTTAWA There was every reason for the Ottawa Senators to ride the hot hand in goal and start Linus Ullmark again on a Saturday night.

It wouldve meant playing him for a second consecutive night, but some sound arguments could be made.

Instead, the Senators were supposed to give him the night off.

Those plans changed minutes before the team took to the ice for pregame warmup.

Advertisement Anton Forsberg was supposed to start against the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Canadian Tire Centre.

But he suffered a minor injury during his pregame stretch and was no longer an option.

Per Senators head coach Travis Green, the Senators may have to call on a goalie from the AHL (likely Leevi Merilainen) for reinforcements with Forsberg injured.

Instead, it was Ullmark who led his teammates out for the pregame skate with no other goalie behind him.

The Senators emergency goaltender was Zach Dietz, a University of Ottawa backup, but he wasnt on the ice for warmup.

Dietz was at the game with his girlfriend and was wearing a No.

9 Josh Norris jersey before he was called into service.

But instead of sitting on the bench, he sat in a dressing room alone waiting for his number to be called if need be.

It could have been a recipe for disaster.

And then halfway through the first period, Ullmark made a save-of-the-year candidate on Erik Karlsson .

LINUS ULLMARK IS NOT HERE TO MESS AROUND #GoSensGo pic.twitter.com/mIgbTVPHQL Ottawa Senators (@Senators) December 15, 2024 After Penguins forward Michael Bunting backhanded a shot off Ullmarks pad, former Senator Karlsson tried to bury the puck into an open cage.

Ullmarks stick, however, stymied his fellow countryman and maintained his clean sheet.

It was insane, defenceman Thomas Chabot said.

I thanked him actually.

I misread the play.

Like we always say, he kind of saved my ass.

I thanked him after.

Ullmark made 25 saves in a 3-2 overtime win over the Penguins, none more heroic than that stick save.

All that after knowing that hed be playing moments before warmup.

You just go with it, Ullmark said.

Hakuna Matata.

The Swedish netminder has played a massive role in the Senators recent resurgence.

Ottawa has seven wins in their last 10 games and is currently on a season-long three-game win streak.

Since their Nov.

25 win over the Calgary Flames , Ullmark is 6-0-1 with a .950 save percentage, a 1.55 goals-against average and a shutout in that time.

And there might not be a hotter goalie in the NHL right now since that date.

Ullmark has even bested Winnipeg Jets goalie and Vezina front-runner Connor Hellebuyck who is either leading or near the top of important goalie statistical categories this season.

The Ottawa Senators can firmly trust their No.

1 goaltender because he looks like the No.

1 goaltender they need him to be.

And as he plays well, the team does too.

Its a big part of it, Green said.

I dont know if Ive ever seen the league at a point where goaltending is a big part of winning and losing.

Theres a lot of parity in the league.

From night to night, any team can win.

You go (through) teams near the bottom of the standings to the top, theres parity.

Goaltending is a tough position.

Theres a lot of pressure on goalies.

This season, I feel like, the position is magnified.

Advertisement Hes been awesome, Brady Tkachuk said.

Just so much fun to be able to play in front of him.

Hes made those big saves at the right times.

Just such a calming presence back there and confident.

Ullmarks stick save on Karlsson will go down as his best from Saturday night.

His second-period blocker save on Sidney Crosby serves as a more-than-worthy honourable mention.

It even brought fans to their feet, applauding their goaltender for keeping them ahead.

A 180-degree turn from one month prior when Ullmark played his worst game as a Senator, allowing five goals including an overtime winner a Matvei Michkov shot from the goal line against the Philadelphia Flyers .

It was the beginning of the Senators worst stretch of the season, a five-game slide that had them near the bottom of the league standings, prolonged their November blues and had fans anticipating another early end to their year.

GO DEEPER Senators' Linus Ullmark 'not his best' in OT loss to Flyers Now, the Senators are tied in points with Tampa Bay and Philadelphia for a wild-card playoff spot.

I think we always knew we had it in us, Ullmark said.

Its nice to have a three-game win streak.

Youve got to keep building off of it.

Youve got to keep winning these games on this road trip as well and not just take for granted that its going to come easy.

Because once you actually do put up a lot of points and you rise in the standings, people are going to notice you.

Theres going to be a lot more focus on you.

We havent really changed anything to our game, Chabot said.

Everybodys rolling really good and its great to see.

But were playing the same hockey game that weve been playing all year.

Whenever youre going to stick to it, youre going to get the result you want.

And thats what were getting right now.

Ullmark returning to form, and the Senators rising confidence, bodes well as the team embarks on a season-long, nine-game road trip starting Tuesday against the Seattle Kraken .

It will be broken up by the Christmas break at the end of the month.

But there are some quality opponents over that stretch.

Depending on the Senators performance, it could make or break their season.

The Senators wont play at home until Jan.

9 against the Buffalo Sabres .

What will help them overcome arguably the most challenging part of their season will be their goaltending.

It helps that their No.

1 netminder is playing at his absolute best.

(Top photo of Linus Ullmark: Andre Ringuette / NHLI via Getty Images).

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