After a lousy first period, Bruins goalie Linus Ullmark looked like a different player the rest of the way in Saturday afternoon’s game.
And we’re not only talking about the way the Vezina Trophy frontrunner performed on the TD Garden ice.
Ullmark sported his usual mask to start Boston’s matinee matchup with the Detroit Red Wings, who scored two first-period goals in enemy territory on the first leg of the teams’ back-to-back. Ullmark decided to mix things up during the first intermission, and in doing so, he paid homage to a fallen friend.
According to Bleacher Report, the custom mask the All-Star netminder sported for the final two periods against the Red Wings featured an image of his dog, Baronen, who died recently. Ullmark didn’t allow a single Detroit goal after the helmet change, which allowed the Bruins to pull off a 3-2 comeback win.
It wasn’t a run-of-the-mill win for Boston either. It marked victory No. 50 on the season for the Bruins, who became the fastest team in NHL history to reach that milestone. The historic win, coupled with a New York Islanders loss later in the day, also sealed a Stanley Cup playoff berth for the Black and Gold.
Given the initial returns, Ullmark might have to keep rolling with the Baronen mask moving forward. The veteran goalie is expected to be back in the net Tuesday night when the Bruins visit the Chicago Blackhawks.
