Jake Sanderson Expresses Embarrassment Over Goalie Comments

Ottawa Senators defenceman Jake Sanderson told reporters on Tuesday he apologized for his comments made after a loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday, when he targeted the team’s goaltending when speaking to reporters after the game. Sanderson said he apologized after the game when speaking on Tuesday after goalie Leevi Merilainen was demoted to the Belleville Senators of the American Hockey League. “First off, I’m pretty embarrassed,” Sanderson said per The Athletic’s Julian McKenzie. “I think that’s the situation where after a game you’ve got to take a few more minutes. Take a few deep breaths… “... I talked to Leevi after the [game] and apologized,” Sanderson continued. “I still feel really bad. Leevi’s a great guy. And I think that’s not what good teammates do. You don’t tear each other down. You build each other up, especially after a game like that. I’m pretty embarrassed.” Senators head coach Travis Green offered some support for his star defenceman on Tuesday as well. “Jake Sanderson’s one of the best teammates you’re ever going to find in the league,” Green said, per McKenzie. “It’s an emotional game. It’s much like my comments after the game as well. “I said it’s hard to give him a free pass; I feel bad for him. I’ve said that many times. Maybe a goal or two that you’d like back. I think it was fairly obvious, and I think it was overblown. And it definitely didn’t have an effect on our room.” Merilainen, 23, made 13 saves on 19 shots in the 6-5 loss for a brutal .684 save percentage. He has an .860 save percentage and a 3.51 goals-against average in 20 games (19 starts) this season. “I think, you know, Leevi [Merilainen] made some good saves,” said Sanderson on Saturday. “But, you know, I think at the end of the day you’ve got to make more than 10 saves to win a game.” The third-year goaltender was thrust into the starting role after Linus Ullmark took a leave of absence in December, and the results have not been good. Goaltending troubles have been a recurring theme for the Senators, who sit at the bottom of the Atlantic Division standings at 22-19-7 and have surrendered the fourth-most goals per game in the league this year (3.40). “It’s a little bit frustrating,” admitted head coach Travis Green on Saturday. “But, you know, I give our team a lot of credit, they’re battling, they’re playing good hockey. Our goalies haven’t been at their best. We know that and our team is still bringing it.” With no timetable for a potential return for Ullmark, the team signed 37-year-old goaltender James Reimer earlier in January and recalled Hunter Shepard to replace Merilainen on the NHL roster on Tuesday. The Senators will take on the Blue Jackets in Columbus on Tuesday, which is the only team the Senators currently rank ahead of in the Eastern Conference.