BOSTON — Linus Ullmark didn’t earn the win, but his performance did little to cast doubt on Bruins coach Jim Montgomery’s decision to start him.
Ullmak made 30 saves including several terrific ones and didn’t give up a bad goal in the 3-2 loss to the Maple Leafs that evened the first-round series at a game apiece.
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After Jeremy Swayman’s 35 stops in Boston’s Game 1 win, Montgomery offered few definitive answers to any of the many inquiries about whether he’d maintain the season-long goalie rotation or stick with Swayman. Toronto got several good chances early and Ullmark rewarded his coach’s faith with some big stops.
After the game, Montgomery said the offense not Ullmark was the reason the Bruins came up short.
“No second guesses. He was terrific,” Montgomery said. “He made multiple big-time saves. It’s a strength of our team. Both of them played really well and we only scored two goals.”
Even the game-winning goal was hard to criticize. Max Domi lofted a terrific aerial pass to Auston Matthews, who caught it with his glove breaking toward the Bruins blue line in the middle of the third period. Charlie McAvoy, who was stride for stride with the NHL’s leading goal scorer, lost pace as. he unsuccessfully tried to knock it down. That allowed Matthews to get the mini breakaway that he converted successfully.
“There’s a reason he scored 69 (goals),” Ullmark said. “I’ll try to get him next time.”
Ullmark said Montgomery told him on Sunday that he’d have the net for Game 2.
“I’m very grateful every time I get the opportunity to go out there and play. It’s the most fun time of the year. I don’t take anything for granted,” Ullmark said. “It’s all about compete and performance and it’s also all about wins.”
He was a harder grader on his performance than his coach was.
“There’s some good and bad things,” Ullmark said. “There’s some things I’ve got to clean up as well. I have to look at it.”
He thought the Bruins would be ready to bounce back in Game 3 on Wednesday in Toronto.
“It’s all about recharging. The sun will come up tomorrow as well. We got to Toronto and we’ll duke it out once again,” he said. “We knew it was going to be tough. There’s going to be opportunities to recharge, focus and try to get a 2-1 lead next game.”
