Goaltender James Reimer comes up short in AHL debut with Belleville Senators

AMERKS 6, SENATORS 5 (OT)

James Reimer started his road back to the National Hockey League with the Ottawa Senators on Sunday.

The 37-year-old veteran goaltender made his American Hockey League debut in Belleville’s 6-5 overtime loss to the Rochester Amerks on Sunday afternoon at the CAA Arena.

He allowed six goals on 28 shots, including the winner by Rochester’s Jack Ratherborne only 13 seconds into OT. Belleville’s Philippe Daoust scored with only 1:50 left in the third period to tie it up.

Reimer was signed to a professional tryout by the Senators on Thursday. He skated with Belleville for three days, and this was the initial opportunity for the organization to see him in action.

This was the first time Reimer had suited up since he played for Team Canada at the Spengler Cup over the holiday season in Switzerland. He had attended the Toronto Maple Leafs’ training camp on a pro tryout this season.

Reimer needs to sign an NHL contract to suit up with Ottawa, and that could happen this week, and we could see him in the club’s net in the coming days.

The Senators have back-to-back games on Tuesday against the Vancouver Canucks and Wednesday against the New York Rangers on the road.

Steve Staios, the club’s president of hockey operations and general manager, remains hopeful that veteran goaltender Linus Ullmark will return from his leave of absence for personal reasons soon, but there is no timetable.

Backup goalie Leevi Merilainen made his eighth straight appearance in the club’s net on Saturday in Ottawa’s 3-2 loss to the Florida Panthers at home.

Defenceman Lassi Thomson scored twice for Belleville on Sunday. Wyatt Bongiovanni and Arthur Kaliyev also chipped in with goals. The Senators battled back after falling behind 4-1 in the third.

Ryan Johnson of the Amerks gave his club a 2-1 advantage on the 12th shot that Reimer faced in the second period with 6:33 remaining.

Reimer gave up a goal on only the second shot he faced. Rochester’s Riley Fiddler-Schulz scored his ninth of the season only 3:34 into the game. That goal came from the doorstep.

bgarrioch@postmedia.com

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