Chances are Bruins fans enjoyed the celebration after goaltender Linus Ullmark scored his first career goal just as much as the play itself, and for good reason.
Ullmark scored the franchise’s first-ever goalie goal against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena on Saturday night. The tally, which came with 47 seconds left in the third period after Vancouver pulled its own goaltender, sent the Bruins into pandemonium both on the ice and on the bench. But perhaps the most entertaining part was seeing Ullmark skate to the bench and touch gloves with teammates, just as any other goal-scorer would.
The Bruins goalie admitted it wasn’t his idea and that a teammate told him to do so during their initial on-ice celebration near his crease.
“I don’t know who it was, but it was someone in the pile that I told me, ‘You got to go to the bench. You got to go to the bench,'” a giddy Ullmark told reporters after Boston’s 3-1 victory, per the Bruins.
“So I appreciated that gesture from them.”
Ullmark expressed after the game how it was difficult to put the experience into words since he’d never done it before.
“I can’t really, it’s hard to describe what I’m feeling right now,” Ullmark said. “I have to kind of digest it all. I’m just so bloody happy.”
It’s fair to assume the snapshots of Saturday, both the play itself and the ensuing celebration, will be remembered as highlights of Boston’s season when it’s all said and done.
