<p>After a promising outcome during the 2024-25 season, the <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/ottawa-senators/line-combinations">Ottawa Senators</a> are hoping to improve this year. The goaltending was a big part of the team’s run to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but will it be the case again this year?</p>



<p>The Senators are off to a rather tough start this season, winning just one of their first four games. The team has conceded four goals in each contest, including eight against the <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/buffalo-sabres/line-combinations">Buffalo Sabres</a> on Wednesday night. That game was Leevi Meriläinen’s first game of the season, and he was lit up for seven goals on 26 shots.</p>



<p>Linus Ullmark hasn’t been great either, sitting with a 1-2-0 record with a 4.07 goals-against average and a .842 save percentage. If the Senators want to be a team that hangs with the best in the Atlantic Division, they need to have two reliable goaltenders on a nightly basis.</p><div class="injected-ad injected-video" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="0" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="148"></div>



<p>On <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7c1Opvi2QI">Thursday’s edition of Daily Faceoff LIVE</a>, Tyler Yaremchuk and Carter Hutton discuss how much concern there should be surrounding Ullmark and Meriläinen.</p>



<p><strong>Tyler Yaremchuk:</strong> Linus Ullmark’s numbers…not great to start the season. What’s your concern there?</p>



<p><strong>Carter Hutton:</strong> Not super high, I’m more concerned about sustainability if Leevi Meriläinen becomes a goalie you can’t play and becomes a factor in this team not being able to win on back-to-backs. Linus Ullmark, at his age now, you’re trying to monitor that. A guy that’s been known to have injuries, you have to be careful there. I think he gets to his game. I think he finds his game. It’s just a matter of the consistency of having both guys going. So, I rank that as a five…because I’m worried about them as a duo. I’m not worried about Linus finding his game…this guy’s played in all situations. I think with his maturity and his skill set, he’ll be fine. I worry about sustainability if Meriläinen can’t get his game together.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="1" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="170"></div>



<p><em>You can watch the full segment and entire episode here…</em></p>



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