Ottawa Senators goaltender Matt Murray will watch Friday's game against the Anaheim Ducks from the press box.

Senators head coach DJ Smith said Anton Forsberg will get the start in goal, while Filip Gustavsson serves as his backup.

The move comes after Murray dropped to 0-5 to start the season as he allowed four goals on 23 shots a  6-3 loss to the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday.

Smith pointed to goaltending as the separating factor between his team and the Sharks, who had James Reimer stop 23 of the 26 shots he faced.

"We deserved better. A point, or two," Smith said postgame. "The difference tonight is probably their goaltending."

“I didn’t mind our details. I just think we’ve got to get someone to take the net for us and start to win us some games when we give that effort. We need someone to get in there and hold us right now. We’re a young team that needs someone to steal one for us, probably.”

Murray has a 3.26 goals-against average and .890 save percentage in six games this season, He had a 10-13-1 record last season with a 3.38 GAA and a .893 save percentage in his first year with the Senators after being acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The 27-year-old, who won back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Penguins, carries a $6.25 million cap hit on the four-year, $25 million deal he signed with the Senators following the trade last year. 

With Murray limited by injuries and time in the COVID protocol this season, Gustavsson has appeared in eight games, posting a 3-4-1 record with a .905 save percentage and a 3.41 goals-against average. 

Forsberg has seen time in five games this year, going 1-3 with an .884 save percentage and a 4.56 GAA.