Erik Karlsson remained optimistic after the Pittsburgh Penguins were smacked by the Ottawa Senators, 5-0, at PPG Paints Arena on Saturday. Not just about his team. But others as well. “We can go home,

Shane Pinto scored two special teams goals in the first period, Leevi Merilainen stopped 30 shots and the Ottawa Senators beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-0.

It was a team effort from top to bottom as the Ottawa Senators shut out the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-0 for the franchise’s 1,100 win.

Leevi Merilainen notched 30 saves for his first career shutout and Shane Pinto scored twice in the Ottawa Senators' 5-0 win over the host Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday.

PITTSBURGH -- Leevi Merilainen made 29 saves for his first NHL shutout, and the Ottawa Senators won 5-0 against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena on Saturday. The 22-year-old played his seventh game (six starts) since being selected in the third round (No. 71) of the 2020 NHL Draft.

Tyler Kleven, Drake Batherson and Tim Stutzle ... the 10th time this season that the Penguins have allowed a score on an opponent’s initial shot. Pittsburgh head coach Mike Sullivan challenged ...

The Ottawa Senators are victors of back to back matchups over the weekend with travel. With those points earned, the Senators have climbed to first in the wild card playoff race and have bumped Boston out.

A commitment to defence has been a central theme for the Senators, not just Tkachuk, under new head coach Travis Green. The Senators have the sixth-best goals-against rate in the league, a 180-degree turn from the fifth-worst in the league last season.

The Washington Capitals look to extend their point streak to nine games when they visit the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night. Ottawa has a streak of its own, winning three games in a row after losing four straight.

The New York Islanders hosted the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night to wrap up their season series. The game was uneventful as both defenses stepped up and aside from an Adam Gaudette goal in the second period and an empty-net goal,

Tyler Kleven, Drake Batherson and Tim Stutzle ... the 10th time this season that the Penguins have allowed a score on an opponent's initial shot. Pittsburgh head coach Mike Sullivan challenged ...

Merilainen, who played for Allen of the ECHL and Belleville of the American Hockey League in 2023-24 and began this season as the Senators' fourth-string goaltender, is the second goalie in Ottawa history, joining Andrew Hammond, to record multiple shutout wins in his first 10 NHL games.