BOSTON — Boston Bruins goalie Linus Ullmark added plenty of tape to his highlight reel in Saturday’s thrilling 4-3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs at TD Garden.
Ullmark wasn’t at his best against the Maple Leafs, stopping just 18 of 21 shots, but he offset some shakiness with several astounding saves to thwart Toronto’s vaunted attack.
But none of Ullmark’s saves matched the robbery he had of Maple Leafs defenseman Mark Giordano midway through the second period. After Taylor Hall went down on all fours to prevent Giordano from connecting on a pass to a wide open Pierre Engvall following a Boston turnover, the puck bounced right back to Giordano.
Ullmark only had a split second to react with Giordano staring at an open net and the netminder leaned back just in time to stop the puck just inches away from the goal line with his glove.
It certainly should be in the running for the NHL’s save of the year as Ullmark’s sensational season carries on and his teammates were amazed yet again by his ability between the pipes.
“It just seems like it’s every night,” Charlie Coyle said. “We don’t want to have rely on him all the time even though he’s more than capable, but we want to help him out as much as we can and kind of limit that stuff. Man, it looks like he’s going to pull something here and there.
“The acrobatic saves he’s done, it’s been insane to watch. You almost see yourself become a fan on the bench when he makes that you get so excited.”
Ullmark responded well after he gave up what he called an “awful” goal just 2:43 into the second period when Engvall scored on a long-range shot.
But that seemed to re-focus Ullmark, who made a terrific leg save to deny reigning Hart Trophy winner Auston Matthews on the doorstep. Then came his eye-popping stop against Giordano, which allowed the Bruins to settle down and take the lead on a goal from A.J. Greer just over a minute later.
Like Coyle, coach Jim Montgomery continues to be appreciative of the outstanding effort Ullmark gives the Bruins in the net.
“Unreal,” Montgomery said. “He just keeps showing that he’s someone you can trust in big moments. The second goal — I haven’t looked back at it but I haven’t seen him get beat from that area this year — but then he makes four big-time saves after that in the second period.”
