A lot of things had to happen for Leevi Merilainen to get this chance, but until further notice, the Ottawa Senators net belongs to him.

According to the advanced goaltending data at Evolving-Hockey, Merilainen has stopped 4.56 goals more than expected (GSAx) based on the quality of shots he has faced. Dustin Wolf (13.44 GSAx in 23 games) and the highly regarded Yaroslav Askarov (6.43 in 8 games) are the only rookie goaltenders who have stopped more.

Leevi Merilainen authored his second shutout in three starts Tuesday night, recording 24 saves to lead the visiting Ottawa Senators to a 2-0 win over the New York Islanders in Elmont, N.Y.

When Linus Ullmark injured his back in the first period against the Edmonton Oilers on Dec. 22, many of the Ottawa Senators’ worst fears were realized.

One day after posting his first career shutout, Leevi Merilainen made 24 saves to lead the Ottawa Senators to a 3-2 win over the Dallas Stars.

In a defensive battle, the Ottawa Senators managed to play a detail-oriented game to come away with their third win in a row. The post Ottawa Senators Postgame: Merilainen Leads the Way, Again! appeared first on Ottawa Hockey Now.