Going into the season, goaltending was the least interesting position to discuss when it came to the Bruins. Everyone knew Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark were going to more or less split starts, and everyone expected they would be at least pretty good, like they were last year. Where there was excitement, it was in anticipation of Swayman’s sophomore season and whether he could emerge as a true, workhorse-type No. 1 goalie.
Through five games, the Bruins’ goaltending situation has gotten a little more interesting. While Swayman has struggled out of the gate, including getting pulled on Tuesday, Ullmark has been great. And, right now, he’s playing like the Bruins’ No. 1 goalie.
Ullmark rolls, Hall bounces back, Studnicka struggles
Ullmark picked up his third straight win to open the season Thursday night, stopping 30 of 31 shots and all four shootout attempts in Boston’s 2-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks.
His best save came with just over a minute left in overtime, when a Matt Grzelcyk turnover at the other end of the ice handed the Ducks what began as a 3-on-0. Ryan Strome kept the puck to himself for about a 160-foot breakaway and tried to lift the puck over Ullmark’s left pad.
“Please make another save,” coach Jim Montgomery said of what he was thinking. “That’s the only thing going through my mind.”
Ullmark obliged. Not only did he turn aside Strome’s shot, but a couple seconds later he made a diving play to clear the puck out of the zone.
After Taylor Hall scored in the fourth round of the shootout, Ullmark needed to make one more save to seal the win. He did, making an acrobatic glove save on Max Comtois, who briefly appeared to have Ullmark beat. Time to celebrate with a leg kick, fist pump and, of course, a hug with Swayman.
Through four appearances (three starts), Ullmark is 3-0-0 with a .938 save percentage and 2.06 goals-against average. He ranks fourth in the NHL in goals saved above average.
“Terrific. He gave us an opportunity to get two points,” Montgomery said of Ullmark’s performance. “I think he’s done it every night he’s been in the net. He’s had a great start to the year.”
With Swayman sputtering to an .816 save percentage through his first two starts, it raises the question: Would Montgomery and goalie coach Bob Essensa consider riding Ullmark’s hot hand for a few games and at least temporarily abandon the rotation?
The Bruins would like to bank as many points as possible early in the season. And while there’s no reason to panic over Swayman after a mere two starts, it does seem pretty clear that Ullmark gives them a better chance to win at the moment.
“It’s going to be hard to go away from him, but the things we have to consider are the 36 hours [before the Bruins’ next game on Saturday afternoon],” Montgomery said. “He spent a lot of time in the crouch because, unfortunately, we defended more than I would’ve liked, or we would’ve liked.”
That answer suggests that it will likely be Swayman in net on Saturday against a struggling Minnesota Wild team. Perhaps if it were a night game, with those extra few hours of rest and recovery, Ullmark would be more likely to get a second straight game.
Looking further ahead, Ullmark would then start Tuesday against Dallas, and then the Bruins have another back-to-back Thursday and Friday, which Ullmark and Swayman will almost certainly split. So, the rotation likely continues for at least another week.
But make no mistake: Ullmark has surged ahead of Swayman early on this season. It’s a friendly competition, and Swayman will probably be just fine in the long run, but Ullmark is the No. 1 right now.
That’s not a development many would have expected before the season. If anyone was going to pull ahead of the other, a lot of Bruins fans probably would have expected and hoped for it to be the younger, higher-upside, goalie of the future in Swayman.
Ullmark never should have been overlooked, though. Lest we forget it was Ullmark who actually edged out Swayman in save percentage, high-danger save percentage, goals saved above average, and goals saved above expected last season. And it was Ullmark who finished the regular season stronger and earned the Game 1 start in the playoffs before Swayman ultimately took over.
Ullmark said he just feels more comfortable entering Year 2 in Boston.
“I just feel a little bit more comfortable off the ice,” he said. “With the boys, there’s not a whole lot of new things, not a lot of new personnel. I don’t have to get to know everybody, I don’t have to get to know the system, I don’t have to get to know the city, everything. Just life, basically. I’m in a better spot.”
So far, that’s being reflected in his play, and the 4-1-0 Bruins are glad it is.
Related
