Sens using caution with G Ullmark 'dealing with a strain'
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The Ottawa Senators leaned on Anton Forsberg and Mads Sogaard in a 8-7 overtime win over the Los Angeles Kings Monday with starter Linus Ullmark unavailable.
Senators head coach Travis Green revealed Monday that Ullmark is dealing with a strain, but said he doesn't expect the goaltender to be out long term. He noted more clarity on the situation is expected Tuesday.
“Linus was stiff [Sunday]. We don’t feel right playing him,” Green told TSN 1200 before Monday's win. “We want to check him out further with our doctors and we want to err on the side of caution.”
The injury has stalled the excitement around having Ullmark in the crease in Ottawa. Acquired from the Boston Bruins in June in exchange for Joonas Korpisalo, forward Mark Kastelic and a 2024 first-round pick, Ullmark inked a four-year, $33 million contract extension with the Senators last week ahead of his debut.
The 31-year-old netminder is 1-1-0 through two games with a .914 save percentage and a 2.58 goals-against average. He appeared in 40 games with Boston last season, going 22-10-8 with a .915 save percentage and 2.55 GAA.
Forsberg started Monday's goal-heavy matchup, allowing three goals on nine shots before being replaced by Sogaard, who was recalled under emergency conditions earlier in the day. Sogaard stopped 12 of 16 shots in relief.
"We had three pucks that bounced in off of our own guys, probably a couple that we'd like to have back," Green said postgame of the seven goals allowed. "But the resiliency that we showed, we've talked about that a lot since Day 1. Sticking with the process, and I like how we did that tonight."
The Senators will host the New Jersey Devils on Thursday and it remains unclear who will get the net for that game.