The goalie hug on Saturday night in Vancouver was a little extra special. Backup goaltender Jeremy Swayman leaped into the arms of winning goalie Linus Ullmark after the Vezina-trophy candidate teammate clinched a 3-1 win over the Canucks with an empty-net goal. It was the first goal ever scored by a Boston Bruins goalie in the 98-year history of the team. Tiny Thomson didn’t do it. Gerry Cheevers didn’t do it. Neither did Gilles Gilbert, Rejean Lemelin, Andy Moog, Tim Thomas, or Tuukka Rask. Ullmark’s goal is just another historic moment in a season that has created many.
This was the third legitimate attempt at a goal for Ullmark, who tried it earlier in the season and also in the Winter Classic. I’m a postgame interview, Ullmark mentioned that he hit the post in juniors but had not scored a goal in organized hockey. A goalie has scored a goal in the National Hockey League only nine times in the history of the league. The last to find the back of the net was Nashville’s Pekka Rinne, who scored in January 2020 against the Chicago Blackhawks. Scoring a goal is the dream of most goalies because, as Ullmark said after the game, “we aren’t players for a reason.”
Last night’s goal was just another highlight in a brilliant season for Ullmark and the Bruins. The former sixth-round pick of the Buffalo Sabres in 2012 has been dominating while rolling to a 30-4-1 record. Ullmark lowered his goals-against average (GAA) in the victory to a league-leading 1.86, the only netminder in the league with a GAA under 2. During his current five-game winning streak, Ullmark has made 144 saves on 152 shots. The Lugnvik, Sweden native also leads the NHL with a .938 save percentage.
The Bruins have a chance at the record for wins at 62, and Ullmark is a huge reason. The team has dominated much of the league, but on an occasional off night, Ullmark has been there to be the star. In Saturday’s win, the Bruins played a good first period to take a 2-0 lead but were outplayed for the most part in the second and third periods. The 6-foot-5, 215-pound goalie was as stout as he’s been all year and was able to hold the fort until his historic goal sealed the win.
Ullmark is the clear favorite to win the Vezina Trophy for the league’s best goaltender. But the netminder’s stellar play has vaulted him into the discussion for the Hart Trophy as the league’s Most Valuable Player. Montreal’s Carey Price was the last goaltender to win the Hart, who edged out Washington’s Alexander Ovechkin to win the honor. Price was 44-16-6 with a 1.96 GAA and a .933 save percentage. The last two statistics are eerily similar to Ullmark. Ovechkin led the league with 53 goals that season. Connor McDavid has 48 goals and 65 assists with 22 games to play, making him the favorite this season.
But for now, Linus Ullmark continues to have a career year, and the Bruins continue to win with their newfound goal scorer sparkling in net.
