OTTAWA — On my favourite morning sports program, they were having fun with fanatics.
One of the hosts noted the in-game amusement potential of reading social media posts during an Ottawa Senators game. Oh, the mood swings!
While the Sens were leading Anaheim 3-0 last Sunday, a superfan declared, and I’m paraphrasing: I’VE SEEN ENOUGH (of a sample size). THE SENS ARE A WAGON!
Of course, an hour later, that game was slipping away in a torrent of six unanswered Ducks goals and fans online were now firing coaches, hiring goalies and ready to throw out the Sens power-play lineup.
Never mind that the Sens were visibly flagging in Anaheim in a back-to-back scenario with travel.
In a strange way, both extreme positions have their merit in assessing the Senators performance with about one-fifth of the schedule played.
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The excitement over that first period lead against the Ducklings was also accounting for the Senators earlier games on that trip — a dominant 5-1 win in San Jose and a comeback OT loss in Los Angeles, where the Kings led 5-1 at one point.
At a breakfast function this week, someone asked: How are the Sens doing? I don’t follow them that closely, he said.
I had to think for a second.
Well, when they’re good, they’re really good, I said. But when they’re a bit off, or when Linus Ullmark is out of the lineup and a backup goalie is playing ... maybe hang on to your bets.
Ah, yes. Ullmark. Remember him?
Big guy. Square to the shooter.
At the time he went down while making a routine right-pad save against his former captain Brady Tkachuk, Ullmark was merely the best goalie in the NHL.
He still has the best five-on-five save percentage at .960 and the best overall save percentage, at .945.
His goals-against of 1.33 remains a target for other goalies to catch — or, more likely, overtake Ullmark if his games played total falls too far.
It can’t be overemphasized that with Ullmark in net, the Senators are a contender. When he is out, the drop-off in the crease has too often been similar to those of the oceanside cliffs of the Portuguese Algarve. A precipice, in other words.
In games Ullmark has started, Ottawa is 7-1-0.
With Samuel Ersson or Jonas Johansson in goal, the record is 3-5-1.
But, hold on a second. Has the tide shifted on the “backup goalie crisis” in the capital?
For weeks, "Steady" Steve Staios has been getting roasted online for not finding a more competent backup to the oft-missing Ullmark. It was something Staios promised to do after last season, when young Levi Merilainen was thrown to the wolves and eventually got picked up on waivers this fall.
Staios didn’t just go out on a tree limb by signing Ersson to a two-year, $4.4-million contract. Staios was virtually on a high wire. Without a safety net.
By his own admission, the 27-year-old Ersson struggled in his first starts with the Senators, the pressure spiking after Ullmark went down. That the coaching staff opted to start third-option goalie Johansson for consecutive games on this road trip spoke volumes about the confidence in Ersson.
But after stepping in to finish up that wild 6-5 OT loss in L.A., Ersson has delivered two excellent starts: a 5-1 win in San Jose that was one of the Senators' most complete games; and Wednesday’s 2-1 road classic in Buffalo, where Ersson made several vital saves while the game was scoreless. In the end, he stopped 23-of-24 shots. His save percentage in the past two outings: .958 and .957, with one goal allowed in each.
Just what you need from a backup while wrapping up a long and weird western swing that concluded in western New York State.
Ersson, another in a long line of affable Swedes, isn’t just a guy the Sens are counting on to do well, he’s the kind of guy for whom you root.
Post-game, Ersson said that his winning performance was “pretty well needed” under the circumstances.
“I talked about it before, I had to find a way to play better — come up with some wins,” Ersson told reporters. “So, I’m happy to do that.”
Head coach Travis Green was about as chipper as a coach could be after the kind of 2-1 comeback win on the road that a defensive-minded guru might well draw up on paper. The power play showed signs of life and the penalty kill was outstanding, despite missing key players due to injury. The coach was happy for Ersson, too.
“In a Canadian market, there’s always lots of talk about goaltending,” Green said. “And it’s nice to see him (Ersson) get a couple of wins.”
As for Ullmark, there have been sightings. And not just in the stands.
After Tuesday’s team practice, Ullmark skated on his own.
Wednesday, he took part in the morning optional practice.
All signs point to him getting the start on Saturday at home against the upstart Utah Mammoth.
As always, we will have to wait and see.
On Oct. 22, the day after the Florida game, Green said that Ullmark would be out for “a week or two.” Two weeks later, he has a couple more days to prepare for a resumption of duty.
Suggested musical accompaniment for this triumphant return: theme from the movie Ben-Hur.
