The Ottawa Senators are giving backup goalie Leevi Merilainen a chance to get some playing time and, in turn, get back on track.

The Senators sent Merilainen to their American Hockey League affiliate in Belleville on Sunday so he could face the Syracuse Crunch in a 3 p.m. matinee at CAA Arena.

The expectation is that Merilainen, who didn’t require waivers to be sent to Belleville, will also face the Laval Rocket on Wednesday.

The club recalled Mads Sogaard from Belleville, and he’ll be on the ice on Monday when the Senators return to practice after a 5-4 loss to the New York Islanders on Saturday afternoon.

He will likely dress as the backup to Linus Ullmark against the Edmonton Oilers , and there is a good chance he’ll be returned to the AHL before the Senators host the Philadelphia

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