Mandolese makes NHL debut

Former Atlanta Gladiators and Allen Americans goaltender Kevin Mandolese became the 735th former ECHL player to reach the National Hockey League when he debuted with the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday against the New York Islanders. Mandolese made 46 saves in the Senators' 3-2 shootout win, marking the second-most saves in a victorious NHL debut since shots on goal began being tracked in the 1955-56 season.

Mandolese is the eighth former ECHL player to make his NHL debut during the 2022-23 season. He went 1-4-1 with a 2.68 goals-against average and a save percentage of .916 in six appeaerances with Atlanta last season, before going 4-1-0 with a 2.45 goals-against average and a save percentage of .927 in six appearances with Allen this season.

A sixth-round selection (157th overall) of the Senators in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, Mandolese has seen action in 39 career AHL games with Belleville, going 16-18-2 with a 3.50 goals-against average and a save pecentage of .890.