Ottawa Senators News

After losing six straight (0-5-1), the Flyers have won their last two contests with Ersson between the pipes, including a stellar 23-save shutout on Tuesday in a 2-0 win over the Boston Bruins. The 25-year-old Ersson has had an inconsistent start to the 2024-25 season, a byproduct of porous team play, posting a 3.00 GAA and .891 SV% in seven appearances (3-2-1). The Flyers enter the action on Thursday as -136 home favorites against a St. Louis Blues club pummeled 8-1 by the Ottawa Senators in their previous game.

MacDermid played the last two games for the Devils but will return to being a healthy scratch on Wednesday against the Vancouver Canucks. The 30-year-old MacDermid has zero points, 10 penalty minutes, one block, and six hits while averaging 5:05 time-on-ice through three games this season.

After snapping a six-game losing skid on Saturday, the Flyers returned to the losing column on Sunday and have a lowly 2-6-1 record this season. Despite allowing five goals on 26 shots (.808 SV%), Ersson was between the pipes in Saturday's 7-5 victory over the Minnesota Wild and will return to the crease on Tuesday against the Boston Bruins. Allowing 4.4 goals per game, the Flyers rank in the bottom tier of the NHL and enter Tuesday's contest against the Bruins as +170 road underdogs.

The Senators, riding a two-game losing skid, will turn to Ullmark in the crease for the second time in the last three games after he made his return from a muscle-strain injury. Ullmark struggled in his return, allowing five goals on 27 shots (.815 SV%) in a 6-4 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. The Senators are scoring 3.75 goals per game thus far but have not received consistent support in their crease. They enter the action on Tuesday as -150 home favorites against the St. Louis Blues.

The Senators, riding a two-game losing skid, will turn to Ullmark in the crease for the second time in the last three games after he made his return from a muscle-strain injury. Ullmark struggled in his return, allowing five goals on 27 shots (.815 SV%) in a 6-4 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. The Senators are scoring 3.75 goals per game thus far but have not received consistent support in their crease. They enter the action on Tuesday as -150 home favorites against the St. Louis Blues.

Pinto didn't show any signs of an ailment in Tuesday's 4-0 win over Utah HC, but did not play on Friday, and will be out of the lineup on a week-to-week basis. The 23-year-old Pinto has three points and -3 plus/minus through six game this season. Cole Reinhardt will draw into the Senators' lineup as Pinto's replacement.

Macdermid will re-enter the lineup on Friday as the Devils opt to get some fresh bodies into the lineup for the tail-end of the back to back. Nathan Bastian will sit in his place.

Pinto didn't show any signs of an ailment in Tuesday's 4-0 win over Utah HC, but was not present at practice on Thursday, and will not play on Friday against the Vegas Golden Knights. The 23-year-old Pinto has three points and -3 plus/minus through six game this season. Cole Reinhardt will draw into the Senators' lineup as Pinto's replacement.

Ullmark has not dressed since the second game of the season but will return to the Senators' crease on Friday after missing four straight games. In his first two games as a Senator (1-1-0), Ullmark has a respectable 2.58 GAA and .914 SV%. The Senators, winners of two straight, enter action on Friday as +113 road underdogs against the Vegas Golden Knights.

The Flyers, losers of six straight (0-5-1), will desperately try to return to the win column on Saturday against a red-hot Minnesota Wild club that is one of two teams without a regulation loss this season (5-0-2). Partially a byproduct of poor team play, the 25-year-old Ersson has posted a lackluster 3.22 GAA and .886 SV% through five appearances this season (1-2-1).

Merilainen being sent down to the Belleville Senators (AHL) is likely an indication that Linus Ullmark (strain) is ready to return to the Senators lineup. The 22-year-old Merilainen has a 3.47 GAA and .852 SV% in three games with Belleville this season (2-1-0).

Pinto didn't show any signs of an ailment in Tuesday's 4-0 win over Utah HC but was not present at practice on Thursday. The 23-year-old Pinto has three points and -3 plus/minus through six game this season.

Ullmark has not dressed for the last three games and will be sidelined for at least one more, missing Tuesday's game against the Utah Hockey Club. The 31-year-old net-minder just signed a four-year, $33 million contract extension with Ottawa days before the start of the season. He has a 2.58 GAA and .914 SV% through two games with the team so far (1-1-0).

With Linus Ullmark (strain) sidelined for at least one more game Merilainen has been recalled to serve as Anton Forsberg's backup on Tuesday against the Utah Hockey Club. The 22-year-old Merilainen has a 3.47 GAA and .852 SV% in three games with the Belleville Senators (AHL) this season (2-1-0).

If Grieg is able to return from a three-game absence due to an upper-body injury, he could seamlessly be inserted into the lineup as David Perron (personal) will be away from the team. The 22-year-old Grieg had been held off the scoresheet in two games this season, recording a -2 plus/minus while averaging 14:03 time-on-ice.

The Flyers, losers of four straight (0-3-1), will roll with Ersson between the pipes for the third time in four games to try and snap out of their losing skid. After winning his first outing, saving 24 of 26 shots (.923 SV%) in a 3-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks, Ersson has allowed eight goals on 68 shots since (.882 SV%). Ersson and the Flyers will be hard-pressed to end their losing ways on Tuesday against the Washington Capitals, averaging 4.3 goals per game during a three-game winning streak.

Eklund played 21:45 time-on-ice in Tuesday's 3-2 shootout loss to the Dallas Stars but was unavailable for practice on Wednesday and Thursday due to an upper-body injury. The talented 22-year-old has one point (0G / 1A) in three games and is averaging a massive 22:27 time-on-ice.