Merilainen makes 29 saves in 3rd NHL start to help the Senators beat the Mammoth 4-2

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Leevi Merilainen made 29 saves in his third NHL start and the Ottawa Senators beat the Utah Mammoth 4-2 on Sunday night, with both teams completing a back-to-back set.

On Saturday, the Mammoth fell 6-2 in Montreal, and the Senators outlasted the Flyers in 3-2 in overtime in Philadelphia.

Nick Cousins, Ridly Greig, Jordan Spence and Michael Amadio scored for Ottawa in the opener of a four-game homestand. Amadio has goals in his past four games.

Nick Schmaltz and Clayton Keller scored for Utah, and Vitek Vanecek made 21 saves.

Utah lost its third straight to complete a four-game trip. After an overtime victory in Buffalo, the Mammoth also lost at Toronto and Montreal.

Utah appeared to tie it at 3 early in the third when Jack McBain, sprawled on the ice, poked in a loose puck, but the goal was waved off for incidental contact.

Mammoth: Host Buffalo on Wednesday night.

Senators: Host Dallas on Tuesday night.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Utah Mammoth left wing Michael Carcone (53) brings down tOttawa Senators centre Tim Stutzle (18) during third period NHL action, in Ottawa, Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP)

Ottawa Senators defenceman Jake Sanderson (85) looks on as Utah Mammoth centre Nick Schmaltz (8) scores on goaltender Leevi Merilainen (1) during second period NHL action, in Ottawa, Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP)

Ottawa Senators right wing Claude Giroux (28) and center Shane Pinto (12) try and put the puck past Utah Mammoth goaltender Vitek Vanecek, bottom left, during third-period NHL hockey game action in Ottawa, Ontario, Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP)

Ottawa Senators centre Ridly Greig (71) collides with Utah Mammoth left wing Michael Carcone (53) in front of the net during first period NHL action, in Ottawa, Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP)

Ottawa Senators goaltender Leevi Merilainen (1) keeps his eye on the puck Utah Mammoth centre Barrett Hayton (27) stick handles the puck past defenceman Jake Sanderson (85) during first period NHL action, in Ottawa, Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP)

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (AP) — Slovenia’s parliament on Friday appointed right-wing populist politician Janez Jansa as the new prime minister, in a shift for the small European Union country that was previously run by a liberal government.

Lawmakers backed Jansa in a 51-36 vote in the 90-member assembly. The new prime minister will need to come back to Parliament within the next 15 days for another vote to confirm his future Cabinet.

Jansa's appointment concludes a postelection stalemate in Slovenia after a parliamentary ballot two months ago ended practically in a tie. Former liberal Prime Minister Robert Golob's Freedom Movement won by a thin margin but he was unable to muster a parliamentary majority.

Jansa and his populist Slovenian Democratic Party signed a coalition agreement this week with several right-wing groups. The new government also has the backing of a nonestablishment Truth party that first emerged as an anti-vaccination movement during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new term in office will be the fourth for the veteran Slovenian politician. Jansa, 67, is an admirer of U.S. President Donald Trump and was a close ally of former populist Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who was defeated in a landslide election last month.

Jansa in a speech listed the economy, fight against corruption and red tape, and decentralization as key goals of the future government. He has promised to lower taxes for the rich and support private education and healthcare.

Critical of the previous government's alleged “inefficiency," Jansa said the new government will turn Slovenia into “a country of opportunity, prosperity and justice, where each responsible citizen will feel safe and accepted."

Like Orban, Jansa was staunchly anti-immigrant during the huge migration wave to Europe in 2015. Also like Orban, Jansa has faced accusations of clamping down on democratic institutions and press freedoms during a previous term in 2020-2022. This led to protests at the time, and scrutiny from the European Union.

Golob in his speech described Jansa as “the greatest threat to Slovenia’s sovereignty and democracy."

Alleging that Jansa had threatened to arrest him, Golob said Jansa's "idea of democracy is that anyone who dares speak a word against you deserves only the worst.”

Jansa, a supporter of Israel, also has been a stern critic of the Golob government's 2024 recognition of a Palestinian state.

The vote on March 22 was marred by allegations of foreign influence and corruption. The around 2 million people in the Alpine nation are deeply divided between liberals and conservatives.

Janez Jansa, center, addresses the Slovenian Parliament during a session in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)

Janez Jansa arrives for a session of the Slovenian Parliament in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)

Janez Jansa addresses the Slovenian Parliament during a session in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)