Ullmark Makes 30 Saves On Senators Debut Against Panthers

Summary:

• Goaltender Linus Ullmark made 30 saves in the game against the Florida Panthers on Thursday. 
• The Senators won 3-1 against Stanley Cup defenders the Florida Panthers at the Canadian Tire Centre.
• The crowd chanted Ullmark’s name during the third period. 

The Senators’ new goaltender, Linus Ullmark, has recently proved the Ottawa Senators made the right call when inking a four-year extension with him earlier in the week. 

The 31-year-old played a pivotal role in Ottawa’s season-opening 3-1 win against the proud defenders of the Stanley Cup, the Florida Panthers. 

Ullmark managed 30 saves on Thursday in his debut for the club (not quite the same level as Sam Montembeault), in front of an adrenaline-filled, sold-out crowd at the Canadian Tire Centre. 

The home opener also featured a fanfare that delayed the start, giving Ullmark a well-deserved warm welcome.

Senators’ fans were heard chanting Ullmark’s name midway through the third period, in support of his excellent performance on the ice.

Ulmark to Bring Stability to the Team

After a string of failed goaltender signings in recent years, the Senators (1-0-0) are relying on Ullmark to bring the much-needed stability that has eluded the organization over the past four seasons.

Ottawa provided early support for their goaltender, jumping to a 2-0 lead in the first period thanks to a laser to the top corner by Shane Pinto, who beat Sergei Bobrovsky with an impressive effort, and a power-play goal by Tim Stutzle.

The latter also added an empty netter to secure the win.

Bobrovsky made 28 saves, while Gustav Forsling was the lone Panther (1-1-0) to find the back of the net against Ullmark, benefiting from a screen to get his point shot through in the second period.

With the scoreboard reading 2-1 at the start of the third, the Panthers applied heavy pressure and pinned the Senators in their zone for almost two minutes. 

However, Ullmark stood tall, making key saves on Mackie Samoskevich and Carter Verhaeghe, which prompted chants of his name from the crowd.

Commenting on the Panthers’ evolution, Ullmark commented on their ability to keep “grinding away“ and not get frustrated, “even if they’re down”, which has helped them be so successful, 

“So, it’s a special win, definitely.”, the goaltender added while commenting that while he “wouldn’t say there’s bad blood” against the Panthers, the fact that they beat him twice in the playoffs makes playing them enjoyable.  

“There’s a lot of fun playing the very best of the teams in the league, and there’s an opportunity for you to rise to the occasion”, he further said. 

“They Played Hard”

While Panthers head coach Paul Maurice was not thrilled about his team’s start, he appreciated the way they responded after the first period.

“They played hard”, said Maurice who, at age 43, became the youngest coach in the history of the NHL to coach 1,000 games. 

The head coach also praised the Panthers’ fast speed, adding they played “real hard” and “they deserved a win.”