March 18, 2022; Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN; Boston Bruins goalie Linus Ullmark (35) and Boston Bruins defenseman Derek Forbort (28) celebrate their win over the Winnipeg Jets at Canada Life Centre. Mandatory Credit: James Carey Lauder-USA TODAY Sports
Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy won’t let the tension rise when it comes to his Game 1 starter, as he has confirmed it will be Linus Ullmark who will lead the team onto the ice for Monday’s Game 1 against the Hurricanes .
Ullmark’s start felt like an inevitability given his late-season push, with a 9-1-0 record and .945 save percentage in his last 12 appearances of the season. Those nine wins were the sixth-highest in the NHL during that period, while that 0.945 percent save rate ranked highest among all NHL goalies with at least 10 appearances since March 15.
Overall, the 6-foot-4 goalie posted a 26-10-2 record and a .917 save percentage in 41 games with the Bruins this season.
This will be Ullmark’s first-ever postseason appearance, as the Sabers never qualified (or even came close to qualifying) for the postseason during his tenure at Buffalo.