Bruins goalie Linus Ullmark isn’t here to be a ‘crybaby’
It goes without saying that Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark would prefer to be playing.
Ullmark has made no bones about the playoffs being ‘the most fun time of the year’ and his desire to break through as a playoff goalie for the Bruins. But in the first round, Ullmark has played spectator in three of the first four games of Boston’s first-round series with the Maple Leafs, and understandably so. Not only have the Bruins won all three of creasemate Jeremy Swayman‘s starts, but Swayman has been downright ridiculous, with a playoffs-best .957 save percentage.
But that’s nothing for Ullmark to sulk about.
“You know, there’s a reason why I’m here today, and it’s not being a sulky little crybaby about not playing or anything like that,” Ullmark said following Monday’s practice at Warrior Ice Arena. “I just try to stay professional, supporting the guys throughout the period here. And I’ll go out there every practice trying to be better, try to push people in a way that I can obviously, and try to bring that energy and do whatever I can when I’m off to the side as much as I try to do when I’m in the net.”
The plan for the Bruins out of the gate, seemingly guarded with 10 sets of alarms and proteced by magic symbols that required a decoder you can only find in wreckage at the bottom of the ocean, was to give both Swayman and Ullmark one start each through the first two games of the series, and then ride the hot hand. And though both delivered — Swayman stopped 35-of-36 in a Game 1 win while Ullmark made 31 saves in a losing effort in Game 2 — it became clear that this was emerging as a Swayman matchup. Especially when you looked at the way that Swayman had dominated the Leafs during the regular season series head-to-head.
“Sway’s been playing tremendously,” Ullmark acknowledged. “I have a lot of faith in that fella. I’m very happy for him, obviously. And that’s what I try and do as well: I stay positive and supportive of him, because if I don’t support my guy, I’m not supporting the team. And if I’m not supporting the team, not supporting him. So it kind of goes hand in hand in that sort of situation.”
What the Bruins plan on doing in goal for Game 5 remains up in the air, but the odds currently suggest that it’s looking like another Swayman game for the Bruins. Not only has this matchup benefitted him greatly, but the Bruins and Maple Leafs are returning to action with yet another extra day of rest between games, putting Swayman back in position for a two stars in four days stretch.
But with nothing certain — and with Ullmark outright admitting that he doesn’t believe that there’s a set ‘plan’ with either himself or Swayman — all Ullmark can do is remain ready.
“I can’t take days off,” Ullmark said. “You never know what’ll happen. You always hope for the best, [but] expect the worst kind of thing. That’s the thing that you always have to be vigilant and stay positive throughout the series. And for me, it’s staying in the moment. Don’t think about what happens [or] what’s going to happen or anything like that. You know, right now I’m talking to you guys. That’s what I’m trying to focus on. Obviously sometimes it’s a little bit harder than other days, but today is a good day.”