Senators Postgame: Ullmark Stands Tall, Sens Beat Blue Jackets

Stop me if you’ve heard this before- The Ottawa Senators held on to win a tight game. That seems to be the theme of the team lately. Tonight, they played a great game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, going up 3-1 partway through the second. From there, they had several great chances to put this game away, but couldn’t add to their lead. Wouldn’t you know it, the Blue Jackets would make it a one goal game in the third period. From there, the Senators did a good job holding off the Blue Jackets, winning their ninth game in March to push that much closer to the playoffs. Let’s dive into the details.

READ MORE: Travis Green Deserves Jack Adams Consideration

Linus Ullmark- Calm, Cool, Collected

I think it’s fair to say that Linus Ullmark is the most trusted Ottawa Senators goalie since Craig Anderson. Yes, he’s had some injury issues and a few cold stretches. He’s also been the Senators best player at times, and he has such a calming presence to his game. Tonight, he stopped 28 of 30 shots, including a few huge saves late to maintain the Senators one goal lead. He’s had a bit of an up and down month of March, but what matters most is the fact that he’s gone 9-2 during that time. Oh, and with his 21st win of the year tonight, he matched the win total of Joonas Korpisalo a year ago. Of course, Korpisalo had double the losses.

Ridly Greig Leads the Way Up Front

When Ridly Greig signed a contract extension in January, I didn’t think Greig had quite earned that type of contract as of yet. Well, he’s certainly showing himself worthy of that extension since the start of March. He’s scored three goals and 10 points in 14 March games. Just as impressive, he’s averaged over 18:30 of ice-time per game in that time, playing in all situations and being asked to take on some of the tougher defensive situations. Tonight was much the same, with Greig scoring a goal and an assist in 18:51 of ice-time. The growth of both Greig and Shane Pinto as two-way players has been huge for the Senators these last few months.

Additional Notes

I will continue to advocate for Michael Amadio receiving decent minutes. He is rock solid in his own zone and he can always be counted on from an effort perspective. He reminds me a lot of Connor Brown. When the Sens have a lead late, Amadio should be on the ice. Matinpalo was given a bigger chance tonight, and looked solid in his 14:35 of ice-time. Travis Green hasn’t been afraid to change up his lines, until it came to Batherson, Cozens, and Perron. They really do work well together. Cozens tonight was great, assisting on Batherson’s goal and winning 16 of his 21 faceoffs. Do the Senators lead the league in missed empty net chances, or does every fanbase feel that way?