Senators can't waste Ullmark's outstanding performance in their series against 'Canes

Two games into what was going to be a tough series against the number one seed in the Eastern Conference, the Ottawa Senators haven't looked out of place at all. Despite dropping the first two games on the road, they have kept things tight and have had a chance to win in both of the contests in Carolina. Unfortunately, the Hurricanes are leading 2-0 with Game 3 set to be in the Nation's Capital on Thursday (Apr. 23) with a 7:30 pm puck drop.

It would be a real shame if the Senators can't get back into the series, considering just how good of a performance they are getting out of their goaltender, Linus Ullmark. For a guy that has had a pretty shaky playoff history in the past, he's come out and been everything they could have asked for in these first two games. Now they need to score so that they don't waste Ullmark's outstanding performances.

Ulmark has done his job, time for everyone else to do theirs

Through two games and 150:23 minutes of ice time, Ulmark has stopped 73 of the 78 shots he has faced, including a penalty shot in overtime. He's allowed a total of just five goals in what has been eight periods of hockey, when you factor in Game 2 going into double overtime. Both games have been quality starts, which is a great indication that Ulmark is locked in for this series.

Last year, in their first-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Ulmark allowed six goals in Game 1 on 24 shots. The Leafs only got 21 shots in Game 2 but managed to get three past Ullmark for a 3-2 overtime win for the Blue and White. A similar result followed in game three, with the only difference being the Leafs scoring three goals on 20 shots. Ottawa bounced back over the next two contests with a 4-3 OT win in Game 4, Ulmark making 31 saves in that contest, and then he stopped all 29 shots he faced in a 4-0 Game 5 shutout. Game 6 saw the Leafs pile in three goals on 22 shots against Ulmark and win the series 4-2.

Prior to that, Ulmark had a so-so playoff run with the Boston Bruins. The Bruins were in the playoffs each year from 2022-2024 with Ulmark sporting a 3-7 record in the ten games he played in, posting an .887 SV% and a 3.30 GAA. In eight playoff games with the Senators, Ulmark is 2-6, with an .899 SV% and 2.90 GAA. Throw out that ugly 6-2 loss against the Leafs, and Ulmark's numbers climb to a .917 SV% and 2.40 GAA.

He has been increasingly better the longer he stays in a Sens uniform, and his 46 saves in Game 2 against Carolina are a new playoff career high for the 32-year-old from Sweden. Unfortunately for him, in six of the eight playoff games, the Senators have given him two goals of support or less, and that's a trend that has continued into this series.

Perhaps having home-ice advantage on their side for the next two games brings the Sens some better luck. Perhaps Travis Green can out-coach Rod Brind'Amour since he gets the last change and can find some better matchups that push the Sens' offence forward. Or perhaps, this is just who the Sens are destined to be this year, and Ulmark will have to be virtually perfect in order for his team to pick up the win.

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