Andrew Hammond Allows 2 or Fewer Goals in 1st 11 Games of Career

Ottawa Senators goalie Andrew Hammond has started his career in remarkable fashion, becoming just the second goaltender ever to surrender two or fewer goals in each of his first 11 NHL starts, per Elias Sports Bureau (h/t ESPN Stats & Info).

The 27-year-old Canadian was never a hyped prospect, going undrafted out of Bowling Green State University back in 2013.

He signed on with the Senators in March of that year and then provided some uninspiring numbers with Binghamton in the AHL.

Hammond did manage to log one NHL appearance in February last season, playing in relief of Robin Lehner during a blowout loss to the Detroit Red Wings.

There was little to portend Hammond's recent run of dominance, as his numbers in the AHL this season are actually worse than last year's.

Even his first NHL appearance of the season didn't go well, with Hammond replacing Lehner for the final period against the Carolina Hurricanes on Feb. 16 and allowing two goals on five shots in a 6-3 loss.

Hammond got his first career start just two days later, and he now owns a 10-0-1 record, .955 save percentage and 1.39 goals-against average for the season.

He has somehow dragged the Senators back to the fringe of playoff contention, with the team now sitting just five points behind the Boston Bruins for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference entering Monday's action.

The Senators have a game in hand, but the Bruins will still be tough to catch, as Boston has played nearly as well as Ottawa over the past few weeks.