The Ottawa Senators have overtaken the New York Islanders for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference after a 7-2-1 run as the regular season moves toward its final stretch. Each result now plays a direct role in shaping their position in a tight playoff race that includes the Detroit Red Wings and Philadelphia Flyers.
Their latest outing against the Pittsburgh Penguins was a close one, and the result prompted a strong take from goalie Linus Ullmark.
Linus Ullmark Criticizes Shootouts After Senators Fall to Penguins
Ottawa fell 4-3 in a shootout to the Pittsburgh Penguins, a result that left them with a single point in a game they controlled at different points. The Senators built leads during the night, with Drake Batherson scoring twice and Tim Stutzle adding two assists, but they could not hold off Pittsburgh’s push. Rickard Rakell led the Penguins with two goals and an assist, while Erik Karlsson added a goal and two assists to keep his team in the game.
The Senators tied the game early in the third period and pushed it to overtime, but they could not score despite chances. Ullmark made 35 saves to extend the game, giving Ottawa a chance to win. Later, the shootout decided the outcome, and Pittsburgh came out on top while Ottawa settled for one point.
After the game, Ullmark shared his frustration with how the result was decided. He said, “I’ve always hated shootouts. I’ve been a big advocate of playing 10 minutes instead. And if there’s no winner, you just go one point each. You go from there. You’re tossing a coin, sometimes, or have a bit of a circus act…”
He also explained how those moments affect a goaltender during a shootout. Ullmark said, “As a goaltender, You go out there, you feel like you’re top of the world, and then you go out and let in two goals in a shootout and you feel like the worst one out there.”
Inside the locker room, his effort still earned praise from teammates. Brady Tkachuk said, “I think Linus (Ullmark) got us that point tonight,” crediting him for keeping Ottawa in the game through key stretches.
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Ullmark finished with 35 saves and has gone 6-2-3 in 11 starts since the Olympic break, even though his overall numbers this season remain below his career level.
The Senators now hold the second wild-card spot, which keeps them firmly in contention. Their offense has improved this season, but defensive gaps and struggles on the penalty kill continue to affect results.
Ullmark also spoke about the pressure of this stage, saying, “Now we’re getting into the heat of the moment where boys will be men….Time to show up.”
