Leevi Merilainen helps save the day as Senators win third straight

The Senators finished the game without defenceman Thomas Chabot after he took a deflected puck in the face midway through the first.

Published Jan 14, 2025 • Last updated Jan 15, 2025 • 4 minute read

Leevi Merilainen #1 of the Ottawa Senators celebrates his 2-0 shutout against the New York Islanders and is joined by Drake Batherson #19 at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York. ( Getty Images Photo by Bruce Bennett /Getty ImagesSENATORS 2, ISLANDERS 0Article content

Article content

Leevi Merilainen is the Ottawa Senators’ new Zero Hero.

The rookie goaltender made 23 stops for his second shutout in his last three games as the Senators extended their winning streak to three straight with a 2-0 win over the New York Islanders on Tuesday night at UBS Arena.

Only Adam Gaudette was able to score on former Senators’ goalie Marcus Hogberg in the Isles net, while Artem Zub put this one away into empty net with his first goal of the season.

THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.

Exclusive articles from Elizabeth Payne, David Pugliese, Andrew Duffy, Bruce Deachman and others. Plus, food reviews and event listings in the weekly newsletter, Ottawa, Out of Office.Unlimited online access to Ottawa Citizen and 15 news sites with one account.Ottawa Citizen ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES

Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an Accountor

Article content

The Senators finished the game without defenceman Thomas Chabot after he took a deflected puck in the face midway through the first. He was bleeding as he went to the dressing room and the club stated he wouldn’t return to the game for “precautionary reasons.”

“He’s cut pretty bad and we’ll know more tomorrow,” coach Travis Green told TSN 1200’s Gord Wilson.

That meant the club finished the night with only five defencemen. If Chabot is out for any length of time that will be trouble as the club is already without blueliners Travis Hamonic and Jacob Bernard-Docker.

“We knew we had five (defencemen) and we had to play a little bit smarter,” Tyler Kleven told Wilson. “The forwards helped us and Leevi in net was unreal. It was a good team win.”

This was the third, and final meeting, of the season between the Isles and Senators this season. Ottawa was still looking for its first win against New York and needed this one because the Isles are chasing the final playoff spot in the East as well.

STICK WITH THE KIDThe decision to return to Merilainen was no surprise.

After wins over Pittsburgh and Dallas on the weekend, sticking with the 22-year-old was easy. Merilainen went into this one with a 4-2-0 record with a 2.34 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage.

By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.

Article content

Merilainen continued to show good poise in his third straight start and he also shutout the Penguins on Saturday.

New York didn’t have many opportunities but he snuffed out the ones the club did get by making the stops. Merilainen has been solid and that’s all the Senators can ask for in this situation.

It was interesting to see Hogberg in the New York net. The Senators selected him No. 78 overall in the 2013 NHL draft. This was the first time he’d face his former team since joining the organization in 2021.

Hogberg, 30, spent three years in the Swedish Elite League and signed as a free agent with the Isles in the summer.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

HOCKEY GAUDS HELP OUTGaudette scored his first goal in 16 games by tipping a Tyler Kleven shot from the point by Hogberg for a redirect at 8:42 of the second to open the scoring.

That was Gaudette’s first goal since Dec. 8 and that one also came against the Isles. The club came into this game with a 16-3-0 record when scoring the first goal this season.

“I was just trying to create havoc in front of the net and it just happened to go in,” Gaudette told TSN’s Kenzie Lalonde after the second.

Article content

Up until then, you had to wonder if Gaudette could buy a goal.

He appeared to open the scoring at 18:18 of the first period, but it was called back for goalie interference.

There was no question Gaudette made contact with Hogberg, which is why coach Patrick Roy asked the officials to go upstairs.

The officials had to determine whether Gaudette made the contact himself or whether Isles’ defenceman Noah Dobson pushed him in. After a review that lasted nearly four minutes, the goal was overturned.

“Gaudette made contact with Hogberg in the crease which impaired his ability to play his position (before) the goal,” the league said in its decision.

“I saw a goal,” Gaudette said after the game. “I felt like I got tripped up and just went hard to the net and it was a good play by Tim (Stutzle) getting it there but I guess they didn’t see it that way so what can you do? Just go back out there and do it again.”

PUSHING THE PACEA lot of this night made you think that one goal was going to be enough.

Given that this was only Hogberg’s third start this season, the club had to do a good job of getting shots on goal. That can be tough against the Isles because they don’t like to play a wide-open style.

Article content

The shots were only 14-12 for the New York through two periods.

The Senators were confident in weekend wins, and we needed to see more of that type of effort in this one. This wasn’t the most exciting game by any stretch of the imagination.

But the Senators were up 1-0 after 40 minutes and though they weren’t getting a lot of chances, they weren’t giving up many either. There will be games like this one and the Senators did a good job handling this one.

“There wasn’t a lot of room out there and I like the way we stayed with the game. We took what it gave us,” Green said. “We earned a good win tonight.”

[email protected]

Article content