Streak snapped: Stars’ second period proves costly vs. Senators in first loss of 2025 OTTAWA, Ontario — Leevi Merilainen made 24 saves in his Ottawa home debut and the Senators ended the Dallas Stars ’ seven-game winning streak with a 3-2 victory Sunday night.

Leevi Merilainen started for the second consecutive day and the 22-year-old rookie made 24 saves to help the Ottawa Senators to a 3-2 victory against the visiting Dallas Stars on Sunday afternoon, ending their seven-game winning streak.

Josh Norris snuck one past goaltender Casey DeSmith to level the score 1-1, and Ottawa did not stop there. The Senators took a 2-1 lead in Dallas with two goals in 24 seconds, and this time did the same bang-bang lead change in 39 seconds when Tim Stutzle caught DeSmith out of position and found the back of the net.

The Ottawa Senators (21-18-3) defeated the Dallas Stars (27-14-1) by a score of 3-2, and with a strong performance from Leevi Merilainen, the Senators have moved to within just a point of the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.

One day after posting his first career shutout, Leevi Merilainen made 24 saves to lead the Ottawa Senators to a 3-2 win over the Dallas Stars.

Leevi Merilainen made 24 saves in his Ottawa home debut and the Senators ended the Dallas Stars’ seven-game winning streak with a 3-2 victory Sunday night. Merilainen was coming off his first NHL shutout Saturday in a 5-0 victory in Pittsburgh.