Game 2 Notebook: All pressure on Ullmark as Maple Leafs make tweak

TORONTO — We’re about to find out if Linus Ullmark is an elephant or a goldfish.

The Ottawa Senators goaltender got perforated for six goals in Game 1, plunging his career post-season record to 3-7 and post-season save percentage to .877.

Ullmark is an excellent, if streaky, regular-season netminder, and anyone within a dump-in of the Scotiabank Arena visitors’ room will remind you that he won a Vezina in 2023.

But the 31-year-old Swede has been leaky in springtime and has yet to establish himself as a rock over the course of a best-of-seven.

After getting torched for six goals on Sunday — the bulk of those on Grade-A chances — Ullmark vowed to have the memory of a goldfish. 

When challenged by a reporter that crummy goaltending was the “elephant in the room” after the Sens outshot the Leafs, coach Travis Green took issue: “There is no elephant in the room in our room.”

Ullmark lost the one playoff game he started last year against these Leafs and was swiftly replaced by Jeremy Swayman. He has also allowed more regular-season goals to Leafs sniper Auston Matthews (12) than against any other skater in his career.

Understandably, the goalie has no interest in discussing adventures of playoffs history.

“He’s one of those guys that is always looking forward and not dwelling on the past. And I think he does a really good job of that,” says teammate Adam Gaudette. 

“What are we going to do? Sit back and think about Game 1?”

The Senators invested four years and $33 million in Ullmark. This is his hole to climb out of. There is no ’24 or ’23 Swayman in the wings, ready to come out with hugs and 10-bellers.

Little faith is held in journeyman backup Anton Forsberg (11-12-3, .901), who has never appeared in the playoffs.

And while third-stringer Leevi Merilainen filled in splendidly for Ullmark down the stretch (8-3-1, 1.99 GAA, .925 save percentage), the Battle of Onatrio will essentially be over if the 22-year-old rookie becomes a serious option.

The Senators’ 18th-ranked offence (2.95 goals per game) is not built to outscore Toronto. Ottawa must win tight, low-scoring affairs (3-2, 2-1) to scratch out an upset.

That means Ullmark must not only match a locked-in Anthony Stolarz. He must be a star over the next 10 days.

Otherwise, Green will have no choice but to acknowledge the elephant.

“He hasn’t been perfect all season,” Green says. “He’s always bounced back and had good games. He’s a great goalie in the league. Expecting him to be good tonight as well. Just like the rest of our team.”

Middle-six fix?

Craig Berube calls them hopers. 

Those risky cross-ice saucers Max Domi attempted a couple times too often in the neutral zone, trying to help his star linemates, John Tavares and William Nylander, generate off the rush.

Though the Senators failed to make Domi and the Leafs pay on their ensuing transition chances, the undersized Domi wasn’t effective on the forecheck and Berube’s second line of Domi–Tavares–Nylander got outshot 6-1 and out-chanced 4-1 in Game 1, per NaturalStatTrick.com.

Berube smartly lost faith in those hopers and made a switch. 

The more defensively reliable (but less handsy) Pontus Holmberg replaced Domi in the top six midway through the victory and should start Game 2 in that spot.

“He’s big and strong,” Morgan Rielly said of Holmberg. “He’s able to hold onto the puck down low and make plays. He’s a smart player, and so we’re very lucky to have him. I think he’s grown a lot, and it’s hard to knock off when he has the puck.”

Toronto’s reunited Domi-centred third line, flanked by Nick Robertson and Bobby McMann, enjoyed some hot spurts in the regular season. There is offensive chemistry there; there is also risk of defensive exposure.

“Just an adjustment during the game with matchups more than anything. That’s all that was,” Berube explains of the tweak. 

As Monday’s practice drew to a close, the coach had a one-on-one chat with Domi, who led all Leafs in giveaways per 60 minutes this season.

“Max is good about playing wherever, wing, centre,” Berube says. “He’s done both all season, and it’s an easy switch for him. I mean, it’s not that much of a conversation, to be honest with you. He’s good with whatever we need.”

Putting the power in power play

Don’t look now, but the Maple Leafs’ power play has already tripled its output from the 2024 post-season, when their stars went stone cold against the Bruins in 5-on-4 situations.

Not only did the Leafs strike thrice on the man-advantage in Game 1, they did so early in each power play. The Senators’ PK hardly had time to set up.

“We’re looking to attack right away, and that’s a good mentality,” Berube says. “(In) playoffs, pucks to the net, pucks to the net — that’s what you’ve got to think about.”

“We want to catch them off guard,” adds Matthew Knies. “Catch them out of position and try to get it towards the net as early as possible.”

Shifty point man Mitch Marner is critical in that regard, and he assisted on both of Toronto’s 5-on-4 goals. He is blessed with the lateral movement and vision to facilitate to the flanks or create a shooting lane to sift pucks into the dangerous net-front traffic zone that makes Coach happy.

“He’s so good with the puck,” Auston Matthews says. “He sees the ice really well. I think he does a good job of being a dual threat as well. He shoots pucks. He gets pucks through, so J.T., Knies, these guys can tip it or get rebounds and stuff like that, and they can collapse down on it. 

“And he’s a great passer, so he can find seams and find lanes for guys to get shots off of too. It’s not an easy job out there, but he makes it look pretty easy.”

A confident Leafs power play only puts more stress on Ottawa to play physical without triggering the whistle.

“We’re gonna have to stay out of the box,” Green says. “We gave them too many power plays, and they capitalized on their power plays.”

Knies guys finish first — in ice time

Eyebrows raised when Knies, Toronto’s youngest player, led all Leafs in Game 1 ice time (22:29).

That speaks to the coaching staff’s trust in the sophomore, but also to how much of the game was played on special teams. Knies is a key member of the top power-play unit and chips in on the kill. 

“It means a lot,” says the 22-year-old, who scored a hard-earned net-front goal shortly after blocking a Thomas Chabot clapper with his arm. 

“I want to be able to play in every situation, to dominate out there, and be a physical component to our team. I think I did a good job of that, and I just want to keep it going.”

Knies’s usual ice time hovers around the 18:30 range.

“Minutes are a little high for him (Sunday),” Berube concedes. “I probably got to do a better job of pulling that back a bit. I used him at the end of the game a little bit more than probably I wanted to.”

On the topic of ice time, Berube was able to keep all six of his defencemen under 20 minutes. Which is fantastic load management compared to Green pushing Jake Sanderson to 26:36 and Chabot to 25:47.

The Leafs have way more trust in their third pairing.

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One-Timers: Ridly Greig and Nick Jensen skipped morning skate, but Green assures they’re available. Sens lineup changes? “Wait till tonight,” Green says…. Nick Cousins appears to be entering the series, though…. Berube on giving Stolarz a day of rest Monday: “He had some good work in that game. He had to be sharp. He played a lot of pucks, and he was busy. So, you got to manage that.” Stolarz did participate in Tuesday’s optional morning skate…. The Leafs believe they let Tim Stützle’s top line fly through the neutral zone too easily. The plan is to force them to dump and chase…. The Maple Leafs haven’t grabbed a 2-0 series lead since 2002.

Maple Leafs projected Game 2 lineup vs. Ottawa Senators:

Knies – Matthews – Marner
Holmberg – Tavares – Nylander
McMann – Domi – Robertson
Lorentz – Laughton – Järnkrok

Rielly – Carlo
McCabe – Tanev
Ekman-Larsson – Benoit

Stolarz starts
Woll

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