The Bruins’ third-period comeback was all about Jake DeBrusk, but the first two periods were all about the man in goal. Boston would not have even been in position to come back in the Winter Classic, had it not been for the calm, cool dominance of Linus Ullmark.

Adding to his already-league-best numbers, Ullmark stopped 26 of 27 shots to backstop the Bruins to a 2-1 comeback win on Monday at Fenway Park. He is now 21-1-1 on the season with a 1.90 goals against average and .939 save percentage, all tops in the NHL.

But what made this performance impressive, in a game where quality chances frankly were hard to come by for both teams, was the setting. Here was Ullmark in front of the entire hockey world, sitting down to enjoy their holiday viewing, in a rink built on top of a baseball diamond, in front of over 39,000 fans, with all kinds of weird shit to think about. The ice conditions. The glare of the sun. The unpredictable open air.

None of that mattered. Ullmark played the exact game he has all season for the Bruins. It wasn’t surprising for anyone who’s followed the B’s this season, but perhaps the hockey-viewing public took notice. For Ullmark, it was easy to block out all that external stuff and look exactly the same as he does in a regular arena.

“We try to enjoy the moment before the game actually starts, then you have the warmups and you kind of soak it all in, and then it’s just a normal game,” Ullmark said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s 7,000 or 19,000 or 39,000 [fans], we’re still gonna play the game of hockey, and it doesn’t change whenever you are or wherever you are.

“I’ve just got to focus on one thing for me, my job is to stop pucks. So, it’s kind of easy for me to narrow it down sometimes. But it was special. It was very cool.”

Jan 2, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark (35) skates to the net after a goal was scored by left wing Jake DeBrusk (not seen) during the third period of the 2023 Winter Classic ice hockey game at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports

Ullmark’s ability to be the same guy regardless of what’s going on around him has been the linchpin of the Bruins’ success so far in the 2022-23 season. They came out sluggish and felt stuck in the mud (ice?) for two periods, and didn’t seem to wake up until Jake DeBrusk finally potted the tying goal. It was Ullmark who kept them in it for 40-plus minutes and provided a calming presence, and it was far from the first time he’s done that. Another day at the office/ballpark.

“His elite consistency has been unreal,” said head coach Jim Montgomery. “If it wasn’t for him, we’d probably be down 3-0 after two, and you’re not going to come back in those situations very often. He gives us the ability to win every night, and I think that’s why he has 21 wins.”

“You know when a goalie’s in the zone by just how he calms everything down,” said Nick Foligno. “He’s not making these crazy acrobatic saves, he’s just making everything look easy. And when I see a goalie doing that, I think it runs through the whole room. It really makes every guy calm down. And he did that for us in goal tonight. We weren’t playing our best.

“He’s done that all year, to be honest with you, but especially tonight. We know it’s not an easy game for him, either. Glare, everything else is different, but he’s tracking pucks and making saves. He’s a big reason why we got that win today.”

If the Bruins are actually going to go on a deep playoff run this season – dare I say, play for a chance to hoist the Stanley Cup – there’s a good chance that Ullmark will be a major reason why they get to that point. The veteran netminder has been a revelation, and a real treat for Bruins fans throughout the season, and his MVP-like performance on the Fenway ice was simply the latest joy.

It’s about time everyone else in the hockey world got a taste of the Ullmark experience.

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Matt Dolloff is a writer and podcaster for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Yell at him on Twitter @mattdolloff and follow him on Instagram @realmattdolloff. Check out all of Matt’s content here.