Samuel Ersson is starting to give the Ottawa Senators exactly what they needed when Linus Ullmark went down: a calmer, steadier presence in goal.
Ullmark’s lower-body injury on October 21 shifted the spotlight onto Ersson and backup Jonas Johansson, and that attention came with plenty of pressure. It wasn’t hard to see why.
Ullmark had opened the season in Vezina-caliber form, piling up seven wins, a league-leading 0.945 save percentage, and a 1.33 goals-against average in his first eight games. Meanwhile, Ersson’s first stretch with Ottawa was rough enough to fuel the doubts.
In his first three starts for the club, he didn’t pick up a win and gave up 15 goals on 87 shots.
That early run came with some context, though. As the backup, Ersson was supposed to spell Ullmark, not carry the load.
His first three starts also came in the second half of back-to-backs, with a tired and partly banged-up defense in front of him. The last two starts were a different story.
No back-to-back. A healthier blue line.
And suddenly, the results started to change.
The turnaround started October 31 in San Jose, where Ersson stopped 22 of 23 shots in a 5-1 win over the Sharks. It was Ottawa’s first victory on its five-game road trip, and it gave Ersson his first win as a Senator. He backed that up last night in Buffalo, turning aside 23 of 24 shots in a 2-1 victory and earning first-star honors.
Across those two games, Ersson stopped 45 of 47 shots and posted a 0.958 save percentage. More important for Ottawa, he did the job he was brought in to do: keep the Senators in games and bring some stability to the crease.
Ersson had already said earlier this season that his play wasn’t where he wanted it to be and that he needed to settle down and get back to his game. The sample size is still small, but the signs are better now. He looks more composed on cross-crease saves, and his rebound control has been cleaner.
With Ullmark’s return still uncertain but getting closer, Ottawa is going to keep needing Ersson to step in and steal points when called upon. For the first time this season, he’s showing that he might be ready to do exactly that.
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Matthew Tkachuk Just Stirred Up Bradys Ottawa Return Again
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Now Matthew Tkachuk has reopened the discussion from afar, disputing Ottawas sellout claim and saying the building was loud but not full. Brady, meanwhile, has already made clear he was locked in on the game itself and not the chants or boos around him, which leaves the sibling subplot in a familiar place for Senators fans: still simmering, still memorable, and still not quite done. [Read more 🡒]
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For a Senators team trying to keep its game organized through the grind of the schedule, any missing regular is a reminder of how quickly depth gets tested. Greigs status will be worth watching as Ottawa moves forward, especially with the club already navigating the kind of day-to-day uncertainty that can force coaches to rethink their combinations on short notice. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Are Getting A Young Spark At The Perfect Time
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The turnaround came in the third period, when Ottawa erased the gap and got the kind of late push that can change the tone of a road trip. Michael Amadio delivered the decisive goal, giving the Senators a timely lift at a point in the season when every response matters, especially in games that look like they might slip away. [Read more 🡒]