Linus Ullmark Returns to Senators Net with Emotional, Triumphant Performance
Saturday night in Ottawa wasn’t just another game on the schedule-it was a moment. A moment for Linus Ullmark, a moment for the Senators, and a reminder of how powerful a return can be when it’s about more than just hockey.
After stepping away from the team in late December, Ullmark was back between the pipes for the first time in over a month. The Senators, teetering on the edge of the Eastern Conference playoff picture, needed a lift. Ullmark gave them that-and more.
Facing the Devils, the veteran goaltender stopped 26 of 27 shots in a 4-1 win, earning the game’s No. 1 star and delivering a performance that felt as cathartic as it was clutch. From the moment he skated out for warmups, you could see it on his face-this wasn’t just about getting back in the crease. It was about finding his footing again, both on and off the ice.
“It felt like I came out of retirement,” Ullmark said postgame. “At the end there, also during the lineup, it was really hard holding it together-and I didn’t want to hold it together, also.
It’s one of the things that I’ve been working on, just letting the feelings flow a little bit. There’s nothing bad about that.”
That honesty, that vulnerability-it resonated. And so did his play.
Ullmark looked sharp, composed, and in control. The Devils had their chances, but he tracked pucks well, controlled rebounds, and gave his team the kind of backbone they’ve been missing in his absence. It was vintage Ullmark in flashes-not quite the Vezina-level dominance he showed in Boston during his 2022-23 campaign, but the presence, poise, and timing were all there.
That Vezina season, where he posted a jaw-dropping 40-6-1 record with a 1.89 goals-against average and a .938 save percentage, set a high bar. This year in Ottawa has been more turbulent. Entering Saturday’s game, he carried a 15-8-5 record, a 2.89 GAA, and a .884 save percentage-numbers that reflect both his own inconsistency and the growing pains of a Senators team still trying to find its identity.
But sometimes, stats don’t tell the whole story. Saturday wasn’t about numbers-it was about resilience. It was about a goaltender finding his rhythm again, a locker room rallying around one of its own, and a team momentarily silencing the noise with a much-needed win.
For Ullmark, it was a step forward. For the Senators, it could be a spark.
There’s still a long way to go in the season, and Ottawa’s playoff hopes hang in the balance. But if Ullmark can build off this performance-if this return marks the beginning of a steadier stretch in net-the Senators might just have the kind of difference-maker that can help them claw their way back into contention.
For now, though, Saturday night belonged to Ullmark. And in a season that’s been anything but smooth, that moment of triumph, emotion, and connection was exactly what he-and the Senators-needed.