Ottawa Senators Rookie's Emergence Came At A Perfect Time

The Ottawa Senators signed Linus Ullmark to avoid a goaltending rollercoaster, and they got one anyway. But the rise of another netminder couldn't have come at a better time.

The Ottawa Senators stumbled into a terrific situation with goaltender Leevi Merilainen, who has quickly emerged as a lifesaver of sorts for their Stanley Cup playoff aspirations this season.

At the start of the season, the Senators seemed set in net with first-year Senator Linus Ullmark as their starter and Anton Forsberg as the backup. Although that could still be the tandem later in the season, Ottawa has, out of necessity, discovered a netminding gem in Merilainen.

The 22-year-old Finn began the campaign with the Senators’ AHL affiliate in Belleville when Ullmark developed a back issue. When Merilainen did get his first taste of NHL action this season in late December, he lost two of his first four games.

But then something unexpected happened – Merilainen won his next three games, including two shutouts. Even when he didn’t win, as was the case Thursday against the Washington Capitals, Merilainen got to overtime before letting in the game's only goal to Alex Ovechkin.

So, after eight appearances this year, Merilainen has a 5-2-1 record, a 1.84 goals-against average and a .930 save percentage. That’s fantastic, and it comes at a time when the Sens were in danger of sliding down the Eastern Conference standings and out of the playoff picture.

Without the stellar play of Merilainen, the Senators would’ve had to rely on Forsberg (4-8-1, 3.10 GAA, .883 SP) or Mads Sogaard (1-1-0, 5.24 GAA, .800 SP). That only would’ve heightened the anxieties of Sens fans even further than they were.

Ullmark drove the Senators to a six-game win streak from Dec. 5 to Dec. 19, recording two shutouts and only allowing five goals in his five starts in that span. With him out of the lineup, the Senators lost six of seven games. Sogaard allowed four goals on 23 shots on Dec. 28 against the Winnipeg Jets, and Forsberg has let in 11 goals in three games in January, still searching for his first win since Nov. 25.

The Senators went from having a chance to run away with the second wild-card spot to falling back into the chase. Talks about needing a new backup goalie heightened. But now, they're one point back of the Boston Bruins with two games in hand for the second wild card. And whenever Ullmark returns to action – a tandem of him and Merilainen seems quite formidable.

Related: Do The Ottawa Senators Need Help To Win The Wild-Card Battle?

Now, it’s too soon to anoint Merilainen as some kind of savior. As with all NHL goalies, once opponents get a sense of their strengths and weaknesses and their scouting teams break down their game, there’s bound to be a regression. It's the circle of life in hockey's top league.

But make no mistake – the Senators are thanking their lucky stars that Merilainen has given them the chance to win more games than they lose. Ottawa’s playoff hopes could come down to a handful of points in a peloton of post-season yearners, and if that’s what comes to pass, you can say Merilainen has saved the Sens’ season.

At the very least, Merilainen is putting the “emergence” in an emergency. He’s done all the Senators have asked him and then some. Even if he does come back to earth the rest of the way, Merilainen has given Ottawa a fighting chance by holding the fort until Ullmark returns. The Sens owe him big time as the potential No. 2 netminder of the future.

Get the latest news and trending stories by saving The Hockey News’ latest content on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or by visiting our forum.