The Ottawa Senators are about to start a four-game stretch at home with a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday night. Columbus faced travel difficulties after their Sunday win against the Islanders, including a canceled flight and a delayed one, which led the NHL to push the game start time from 7:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. This matchup is crucial as both teams strive to keep pace with the leaders in their division and conference. Although the Blue Jackets sit last in the Eastern Conference, they are only three points behind Ottawa and just four points shy of a playoff spot.
The Senators didn’t play on Sunday but faced a significant setback when their starting goalie, Linus Ullmark, announced he would take an indefinite leave of absence for personal reasons. The team showed full support for Ullmark but offered no further details. Ullmark, who struggled in a high-scoring 7-5 loss to Toronto on Saturday, was replaced by 23-year-old Levi Melilainen, who will now handle goaltending duties temporarily. Melilainen impressed last season during an emergency call-up but has yet to find his form this year, posting a 3.40 goals-against average and a .874 save percentage in 10 games.
To back up Melilainen, 30-year-old Hunter Shepherd was called up from the Belleville Senators. Ottawa also sidelined Dennis Gilbert and rookie Xavier Bourgault, signaling a possible return for Shane Pinto and Tyler Kleven, both recovering from injuries sustained in falls near the boards. Kleven is confirmed to play Monday, taking over for the injured Nick Jensen.
Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets placed star defenseman Zach Werenski on injured reserve retroactive to December 20 due to a lower-body injury. Werenski, who leads the team in goals, assists, and points, is recovering but may need more time off. This move allowed the Jackets to activate enforcer Mathieu Olivier from injured reserve.
Here are the projected lineups:
Ottawa Senators:
- David Perron – Tim Stutzle – Fabian Zetterlund
- Brady Tkachuk – Dylan Cozens – Drake Batherson
- Michael Amadio – Ridley Greig – Claude Giroux
- Curtis McDiarmid – Stephen Halliday – Nick Cousins
Defense:
- Jake Sanderson – Artem Zub
- Thomas Chabot – Jordan Spence
- Tyler Creven – Nicholas Matimpaolo
Goalies: Levi Melilainen, Hunter Shepherd
Scratch: Nick Jensen
Injuries: Shane Pinto (lower body), Lars Eller (broken leg)
Columbus Blue Jackets:
- Mason Marchment – Adam Fantilli – Kirill Marchenko
- Dimitri Voronkov – Sean Monaghan – Kent Johnson
- Boone Jenner – Charlie Coyle – Mathieu Olivier
- Miles Wood – Brendan Gans – Cole Schillinger
Defense:
- Ivan Provorov – Dante Fabrov
- Denton Matichak – Damon Severson
- Jake Christiansen – Brendan Smith
Goalies: Elvis Merzlikin, Jet Greaves
Scratches: Zach Aston-Reese, Egor Chinakhov
Injuries: Zach Werenski (lower body), Erik Gudbranson (hip), Isaac Landerstrom (lower body)
This update comes from Steve Warne of Hockey News Ottawa, who has followed the Senators closely since their inception.
Fan Take:
This game is significant as it tests the resilience of the Senators in the face of unexpected goalie changes and challenges the Blue Jackets to climb out of the Eastern Conference basement. For hockey fans, it highlights how quickly team dynamics can shift due to injuries and personal issues, showcasing the sport’s unpredictability and the depth required to compete at a high level.
