Senators' Ullmark Faces Down His Old Bruins Team Tonight

There are hockey games, and then there are the ones that carry a little more weight. For Linus Ullmark, Thursday’s stop in Boston against the Bruins falls in that second category. The big Swede will be staring down the rink at TD Garden, right where he used to make those impossible saves that Bruins fans grew to love. Only this time, he’s in Ottawa red, not black and gold.

Ullmark’s season so far has been a bit uneven. He’s shown flashes of the calm, steady goalie who won the Vezina Trophy. At the same time, his body of work has been mixed with moments when the puck won’t settle for him. Still, he’s earning the crease for his fourth straight start, and that says something about where the Senators’ head coach, Travis Green’s, faith lies.

Ullmark Won’t, However, Be Facing His Old Friend

You have to think Ullmark’s eyes will find Jeremy Swayman during warmup. The two are great friends—at times, almost like brothers. When they shared a net in Boston, they shared a rhythm. They were the modern goalie tandem done right — teammates, friends, and competitors. The famous post-win hug became their trademark. Tonight, that hug will be on hold because Joonas Korpisalo will be in the crease for the Bruins.

Swayman has worked hard to keep the Bruins steady while they’ve been rediscovering themselves under first-year coach Marco Sturm. Yet, Boston’s on a roll. They’ve won four straight, and Swayman’s poise in net has been part of that quiet turnaround. If Ullmark’s looking to make a statement, doing it against his old team would be the perfect way.

What Senators Fans Should Watch for Tonight

Boston’s lineup has found a spark in young Marat Khusnutdinov and Fraser Minten, who’ve injected some speed and confidence into a team that looked tired earlier this year. For Ottawa, Drake Batherson’s been red-hot, stepping up in Brady Tkachuk’s absence. The Senators have been off since Saturday. So they will be rested, and maybe a little edgy.

But most eyes tonight will be on the crease. Ullmark’s old net versus his new one. Familiar angles, familiar fans, and one very personal test. Does he still have something special for his old club? We’ll find out soon enough.