Former Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmar made his preseason debut for the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night, showcasing his elite skills between the pipes. The 2022-23 Vezina Trophy winner gave a strong performance, impressing both his new team and its fans.
Ullmark turned aside 28 of the 29 shots he faced, finishing with a .966 save percentage in his outing against the Buffalo Sabres, a division rival. He was especially effective on special teams, stopping all eight of Buffalo’s power-play shots and one shorthanded opportunity in just over 30 minutes of play.
“He’s faced a full game’s workload in about 27 minutes, so he’s been sharp,” Senators coach Travis Green said during the TSN broadcast, as reported by Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen. “If it wasn’t for him, we’d probably be down four or five to one by now.”
Although the Senators lost the game 3-2 in overtime, it was Dustin Tokarski who took the loss.
Ottawa fans quickly took to social media to praise Ullmark’s debut. Below are some of the best reactions:
Despite his impressive performance, Ullmark described the start of his game as “sloppy,” according to Alex Adams of Sportsnet.
The Bruins traded Ullmark to the Senators on June 24 in exchange for forward Mark Kastelic, goaltender Joonas Korpisalo, and the No. 25 overall pick (Dean Letourneau) in this year’s NHL Draft.
During Boston’s historic 65-win season in 2022-23, Ullmark tied the franchise record with 40 wins, posting a .938 save percentage and a 1.89 goals-against average. Over his three seasons with the Bruins, he compiled a .924 save percentage, a 2.28 goals-against average, and an 88-26-10 record.
How Former Bruin Linus Ullmark Performed in His Senators Preseason Debut.
