Linus Ullmark blames himself after rough loss to Vegas Golden Knights
Ottawa Senators star goaltender Linus Ullmark took the blame personally last night after the team lost to the Vegas Golden Knights by a score of 6-4.
The Swedish goalie was very harsh on himself after the game noting that they should have won if played a competent game. The Senators are relying on Ullmark and have lots of confidence in him, evident by his 4-year contract extension. That being said, hockey is still a team game, even though the goalie is typically the most important player on the ice. This is what Ullmark had to say for himself after the game.
"If they had a capable goalie in there today they would have won 4-3 I would say. It's way too sloppy to be in this league, this is the type of game where you have to rely on your goaltender to shut the door. Letting those two in at the end caused us to lose the game. I take it upon myself, I never put any blame on anyone else, it is my job to make the saves when it's needed."
Senators fans were appreciative of the fact that Ullmark took responsibility for the result. However, they were gracious with him as well, noting that he was not the only reason they lost.
Despite the poor start, Ullmark has proven time and time again to be a great goaltender. Assuming he puts up even career-average numbers this season, the Senators should see a major boost in the standings, potentially even getting into a playoff spot.
Currently, the team is tied for 3rd in the Atlantic Division with a 4-3-0 record, matching the Tampa Bay Lightning and just ahead of the Red Wings and Maple Leafs, who are both 4-4-0. Ullmark will almost certainly get the majority of starts this season after the team acquired him via trade from the Boston Bruins last summer. So far through three games he is 1-2 with a 3.44 goals-against-average and an .882 save percentage. Those numbers should come up as he gets more starts in, hopefully leading to a playoff spot for the team this spring.
| POLL | ||
How many games do you think Linus Ullmark will play for the Ottawa Senators this season? | ||
| <45 | 25 | 42.4 % |
| 45-50 | 22 | 37.3 % |
| 51-60 | 12 | 20.3 % |
| >60 | 0 | 0 % |
| List of polls | ||
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