The Bruins continued their historic start to the season Thursday night.
Boston overcame a slow start and beat the Philadelphia Flyers, 4-1, to improve to 15-2-0 on the season and 10-0-0 at home. Goaltender Linus Ullmark has been key to the Bruins’ success. The 29-year-old matched Ross Brooks’ 1973-74 record of eight consecutive home wins, the second-longest streak behind Gilles Gilbert’s franchise record 16 straight home wins achieved in the same season, according to NESN’s postgame coverage.
Ullmark leads the NHL in save percentage at .937 and goals against average at 1.89 among goaltenders who have started 10 or more games. The eighth-year goalie has achieved these marks during Jeremy Swayman’s absence.
The 23-year-old made his return from injury Thursday, but Swayman did not get the start. But his return meant Bruins fans got to see a celebratory goalie hug with Ullmark and Swayman again.
Forward Nick Foligno, who has helped Swayman through his injury along with his wife, and previous backup goaltender Keith Kinkaid have filled in on the postgame goalie hugs while Swayman was out of action. But there’s nothing like an Ullmark-Swayman hug to cap off a Boston win.
Head coach Jim Montgomery didn’t reveal who would start against the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday, but the third-year goaltender could have his chance to see game action for the first time since Nov. 1.
