Leevi served as the backup to Anton Forsberg over the weekend as Joonas Korpisalo was out of the lineup with an illness. Merilainen has a 3.02 GAA and .904 SV% in 16 games (7-6-1) with Belleville (AHL) this season.
Merilainen stopped all 41 shots that he faced in his AHL debut before being recalled. He started two games with the Senators, going 0-1-1 with a 4.23 GAA and .878 SV%.
Merilainen was 18-13-7 with a .918 SV% and 2.02 GAA with Karpat (Liiga) this season and has earned his first NHL callup and start Tuesday. The 20-year-old was the Senators' 2020 third-round pick (71 overall) and will be making his NHL debut vs. Carolina, who has won their last two games and are third in the NHL in shots per game (34.9).
Merilainen was 18-13-7 with a .918 SV% and 2.02 GAA with Karpat (Liiga) this season and has earned his first NHL callup and start Tuesday. The 20-year-old was the Senators' 2020 third-round pick (71 overall) and will be making his NHL debut vs. Carolina, who has won their last two games and are third in the NHL in shots per game (34.9).
