A Motivated Ottawa Senators Group Making a Push in the East

Fresh off the throes of their most dominating performance this season, the Ottawa Senators landed in Nashville Sunday ahead of their meeting with the Predators with goalie Linus Ullmark prepared to make his first appearance with the team since injuring his back in a December 22nd game in Edmonton.

The Senators launched a season-high 52 shots on goal, outshooting the Minnesota Wild 32-5 over the final forty minutes Saturday evening en route to a 6-0 shutout win; all this versus the team possessing the leagues best road record in the league (20-6-3).

Leevi Merilainen earned his third shutout, stopping all 16 shots faced.

The 22-year-old became the first Senators netminder to record three shutouts in 13 starts to open their career, tying the late Ray Emery for most shutouts by a Senators rookie (3 in 2005-06), and leads all NHL freshman goaltenders in that category.

The blanking of the Wild was also the clubs league-leading eighth.

Loaned to Belleville Sunday afternoon, Merilainen was a key cog in this latest run by the Senators, who see them currently sitting in third place in the Atlantic Division.

To date, the youngster is sporting a 1.99 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage on a team thats put up a 9-2-1 mark since January 11.

A big part of Saturdays convincing victory came from a low point.

Tim Stutzle , who recorded one goal and two assists in the game, had exchanged slashes on a shift minutes prior with Wild centre Ryan Hartman .

Shortly after Hartman exited the penalty box from serving an embellishment minor during their exchange, Hartman lowered his forearm to the back of Stutzles neck while facing off in the Wild zone, forcing him to land face-first to the ice.

Stutzle sustained a cut above his left eye.

Hartman, a repeat offender, is set to face supplementary discipline with a deserved in-person hearing with the NHLs Department of Safety.

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Miller Does Not Fit What the New Jersey Devils Are Building The Ottawa Senators opened the final frame by scoring three power-play goals in a 2:14 span, the ninth time the team has registered three PP markers in one period in franchise history.

Drake Batherson noted Hartmans actions were a source of motivation for his club.

I mean, theyre going to come after our best player, and five, six, nothing.

Were going to go back out on the power play.

Thats just how it is.

I think in other games that doesnt happen.

Maybe you send out a few other guys, you get a chance, but you cant do that, said Batherson, who broke an 11-game goalless drought.

Ottawa Senators head coach Travis Green added more of the same when he was asked if it was important for his players to respond after the incident: For sure, you never want to see a play like that.

These four games this week, Monday in Nashville, Tuesday, Thursday each in Tampa Bay, and Saturday in Sunrise to meet the Florida Panthers, mark the longest stretch on the road for the Senators for the remainder of this season.

The games are also the final four before the team returns to the ice on February 22nd after the 4 Nations tourney break.

Earlier in the week, defenseman Jake Sanderson mentioned it was great to see the team sitting in the third spot at this juncture, 50-plus games in.

Its the first time the Senators core players have been this high in the Eastern Conference standings, especially in February.

Batherson explained its much easier to get into games as a team due to earning their way up the standings, Its really cool.

I think its a lot easier to get up for games now than in years past.

Youre kind of out of the picture at this point, but standings are so close right now, so many teams playing while you cant afford to take a night off.

And credit to the group, the last couple weeks, were playing really good, pretty consistent.

As Batherson states, the team cant afford to take a night off.

Two games in three nights against the Lightning provide the Senators an opportunity to put them in the rear mirror.

The Senators will head into those games two points ahead of Tampa Bay.

However, the Bolts possess a game in hand.

Stutzle echoes his teammates thoughts, We know every game is big for us right now.

And yeah, we just got to keep chipping away, going day by day.

And weve said it multiple times, we haven accomplished anything yet.

We want to get further, and yeah, keep playing the way weve been playing.

A pair of weekend notes; Josh Norris left late the game Saturday after being slashed in a sensitive area.

Forward Cole Reinhardt was recalled from Belleville for the trip.

Green offered no update on Norris postgame.

Forward Nick Cousins posted a photo on Instagram after undergoing left knee surgery.

Theres no timeline for his recovery.

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This article first appeared on Full Press Hockey and was syndicated with permission..

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