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Utah Overcomes Two Disallowed Goals, Wins 6-4 Over Tampa Bay Lightning

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Mar 22, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Hockey Club center Alexander Kerfoot (15) reacts after goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning during second period at the Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Peter Creveling-Imagn Images

Utah has gotten used to close games, whether it's playing in one of its 19 overtime games its had this season, which is tied for the most in the league, or playing in games with only a one-goal lead.

However, in this game, Utah had to play a one-goal lead knowing it could have had two additional goals, if not for two successful challenges from the Lightning.

One of those challenges came on a Clayton Keller goal, which was waved off because teammate Jack McBain created enough contact with Tampa goalie Brandon Halverson, starting his first-ever game for the Lightning, to cancel the goal.

But despite having goals wiped off the board, it was ultimately Utah's defense that won it in this high-scoring affair.

After Tampa's Brayden Point scored the Lightning’s fourth goal with 17:06 remaining in the third period, Utah didn't allow another goal for the rest of the period.

Considering Utah was caught with too many men on the ice for a with only 2:09 remaining in the game, it was particularly impressive that Utah not only held off a power play unit, but also an extra Tampa attacker that came out whenever Halverson was pulled.

Andre Tourigny Among Many Supporting Ryan Smith and the New Utah OwnershipAndre Tourigny Among Many Supporting Ryan Smith and the New Utah OwnershipOn Monday, March 17, James Mirtle of the Athletic put out an article ranking every NHL owner from 1-32, based on surveyed responses from over 4000 readers, including fans of every NHL team.

But with Utah goalie Karel Vejmelka, playing in a league-high 13th consecutive start, making a couple of late saves, the puck fell to Utah's Alexander Kerfoot, who scored an empty-netter to put Utah up 6-4 and seal the game.

"Yeah, I love it. Right from the start of the game, the focus, the execution, the urgency was elite. I think everybody was engaged. Everybody was connected. We're really disciplined, and in the way we had to play against those guys. Great effort from the boys." 

The empty-net goal was Kerfoot's second of the day, with the other coming after a key moment that saw a goal from Utah's Lawson Crouse erased, followed by some great passing from Tampa, which led to its second goal of the game from Anthony Cirelli.

Originally, Utah's Kevin Stenlund, whose assist on the goal gave him his fifth point in five games, had taken a shot that went wide right of the goal.

But with Utah recovering the puck, it ended up back where Stenlund was. In the exact same spot, Stenlund took another shot, this time aiming for an open Kerfoot standing right in front of the net. This time, Utah would get a point with Kerfoot deflecting the puck in.

Though the Crouse goal was cancelled after a successful Tampa challenge revealed the puck hit the curve of the glass near the benches, having Kerfoot score not long after Tampa's goal was an important response from Utah.

"We’ve been playing a lot of one goal games, this one didn’t feel much different even though there are more goals on the scoreboard," said Kerfoot. "They’re a dangerous team, they got guys who are going to make plays even if you’re in the right spots... I thought we were pressing, the [Cooley] line was great all night... Veggie came up big at the end there and we got the win."

But while Tampa would cut the game to 5-4 in the third period, a goal from Nick Schmaltz would give Utah a two-goal lead that would prove crucial in this back-and-forth offensive affair.

Thanks to Logan Cooley aggressively shooting near the net, the puck remained in play. With the puck not being covered by Halverson in time, Schmaltz capitalized and took a quick shot to score.

With Cooley credited with the assist, it gave him his third point of the day, with the other two coming from goals earlier in the game.

One of those goals came after Cooley deflected the puck off Utah's John Marino in a way that slid right under Halverson's legs.

Considering Cooley had just gone through a six-game stretch without a single point, he has now scored six points in the last four games and has been on a roll.

“It’s always tough when you go through stretches of not playing your best, not producing," said Cooley. "And just overall, I think during that goal it allows you to get some confidence back and get back to your game and what makes me the player I am. It’s one of those things where it seems like it’s going my way right now and you just have to take advantage of it." 

Though Utah's competition, Calgary and St. Louis, pulled out wins today— with the Flames having a late comeback against the Islanders— Utah can take solace in the fact that at least Vancouver lost 5-3.

Utah will have one last game at home against the Detroit Red Wings before going on a three-game road trip, where it will play Tampa Bay for its second time in a week. That game will be on Thursday, March 27.

Hockey News

Three Takeaways From Blues' 4-1 Win Against Blackhawks

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Alexey Toropchenko (left) had a goal and an assist for the St. Louis Blues in a 4-1 win against the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday. (Jeff Curry-Imagn Images)

ST. LOUIS – You kind of had a sense this was in store for the St. Louis Blues on Saturday.

After an emotional 4-3 overtime win against the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday to move into the second wild card into the Western Conference, recovering and playing another game less than 48 hours later, against the Chicago Blackhawks no less, was going to be a tough motivational game to get up for. Even though these points mean just as much as any.

The Blues had been playing so much clean hockey since the 4 Nations Face-Off, but it was predictable that they would have a bit of a clunker, and it was in danger there for a bit, as the young Blackhawks, playing for jobs for next year, were pushing them to the brink.

But the energy guys of Alexey Toropchenko and Nathan Walker led the charge each with a goal and assist, Robert Thomas and Zack Bolduc each scored, combined with another stellar outing by Joel Hofer (26 saves), and the Blues won their season-high fifth straight, 4-1 against the Blackhawks at Enterprise Center on Saturday.

“There’s probably a couple factors. The emotion of Thursday night. It was a roller-coaster game and obviously it meant a lot, and I just think you’re going to have … when you watch the league, there’s some nights, for whatever reason, a team has no legs,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. ‘The great thing for us was, I don’t think we were even close to our ‘A’ game and yet we managed the game. We weren’t perfect, but we grinded it out. We were incredibly selfless and we ended up pulling out a win. Chicago was playing well. They were checking well.”

The Blues (36-28-7), who lead the wild card by two points on the Calgary Flames, who have two games in hand, and the Vancouver Canucks by three points and Utah Hockey Club by four, who host the Nashville Predators on Sunday, played without forward Pavel Buchnevich, ruled out due to what the team called illness, was not in sync and it showed but found a way in the end to persevere.

“They played hard, they defended hard, they forechecked hard, they came at us,” Blues captain Brayden Schenn said of the Blackhawks. “I don’t think we were at our best today, but give them credit, they checked well.”

The Blues swept the three-game season series, the second time in their history doing so (4-0-0 in 2019-20).

Let’s get into Saturday’s Three Takeaways:

* Fourth line willed Blues – Montgomery preaches habits and details. Toropchenko, Walker and Radek Faksa are usually at the front of the line when it comes to them.

For large swaths of the game, the Blues were sloppy with the puck, there wasn’t the typical forecheck, but when those practice habits were on par, enter the fourth line.

“They lead us with our habits,” Montgomery said. ‘We’ve been preaching habits for a long time now. We’re seeing that.

“We weren’t very clean the first two periods, but that line was. Every time they got on the ice, we either got a face-off in their end or they changed in the offensive end. It’s nice to see them get rewarded, and they really made some high-end plays.”

It took a Thomas midair tip goal to get the scoring started at 15:13 of the second period, but Toropchenko made it 2-0 at 17:20 when all three forwards touched the puck after a quick up by Cam Fowler.

“We were just on top of them and grinding, grinding, grinding. They made that play, Fowler got the puck, he passed it to ‘Walks,’ ‘Walks’ chip it to Faksa and Faksa found me with a great pass.

“Main focus on our line is have good habits every game. It doesn’t matter when. Even on the practice day, make yourself better and just push through and play hard.

“I think we just all play the same way, all play like hard hockey, just grind, be physical, be good on the forecheck and first of all, be great in the ‘D’ zone and wear the other team down and make some good stuff for our teammates.”

It happened again on Walker’s goal at 1:12 of the third period that made it 3-1 after Chicago scored shorthanded with 54 seconds left in the second period.

It was a momentum-swinging goal that made it 2-1, but the fourth line drew it back for the home side by making a good, smart play off the edge and to the net with Toropchenko finding Walker.

“The game on Thursday and it’s sometimes hard to come back and back that up,” Walker said. “The first period really wasn’t up to our standards. I think if we can kind of do the little things and chip in here and there, I think we can go a long way with it.”

“Yeah, it led us,” Montgomery said. “They scored two key goals that separated us. That was good.”

Bolduc, who got rewarded by being promoted to the top line in Buchnevich's absense, got in on the fun to close out the scoring at 7:43 of the third on a net front rebound to make it 4-1.

* Hofer kept Blues in it – When the play looks sketchy in front of the goalie, sometimes the goalie’s play needs to be strong.

Hofer made a number of bail-out saves in this game when it was 0-0.

The Blues weren’t doing him any favors with turnovers and getting checked off pucks, but Hofer, who is 4-0-1 his past five starts, was clean with most of his handles, he was seeing pucks through traffic and most importantly, didn’t allow Chicago to gain momentum and confidence by scoring first, which the Blackhawks had a number of opportunities to do so.

* The ‘Hometown Hero’ goes out in style in last game in St. Louis –In an interview with former Blues color commentator and current Blackhawks color analyst Darren Pang pregame, Oakville native Pat Maroon announced this season, his 14th season, will be his last in the NHL.

Maroon, who played 10:41 and got into his 96th career fight in the third period with Blues defenseman Tyler Tucker, received accolades from Blues fans thanks to the team’s Bluenote Productions staff with a video tribute and the game’s First Star and ensuing interview on FDSNMW with Jamie Rivers.

Needless to say, Maroon, who was a key component on the Blues’ first-ever Stanley Cup championship squad in 2018-19, scoring one of the most important goals in franchise history in the second round of Game 7 in double overtime, winning the game 2-1 and sending the Blues into the Western Conference Final against the San Jose Sharks, was emotional during and after the game.

“I was shocked what the Blues did for me tonight,” Maroon said. “They didn’t have to do that. Obviously, I’ve been talking about it with my wife and my family. I’ve done everything I could in this league. I have no regrets. Just having a conversation with ‘Panger,’ it kind of blew up. First, I wanted to thank the St. Louis Blues organization for really making this night really special for me and my family.

“Thank God they told me before the period started, so I was ready for (the tribute). The Blues didn’t have to do anything tonight. I was just playing a hockey game. Obviously, people got wind of it right away after I talked to ‘Panger’, and they really made it a special night for me. I can’t thank the Blues organization for doing that for me and my family tonight. Everyone was here tonight, so that made it really special.”

Hockey News

Blues Recall 2023 First-Round Pick, Will Make NHL Debut Sunday

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St. Louis Blues prospect Dalibor Dvorsky (54) was recalled by St. Louis on Saturday night.

ST. LOUIS -- The Dalibor Dvorsky era is off and running.

The St. Louis Blues recalled the No. 10 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft from Springfield of the American Hockey league on Saturday night, and the center will make his debut against the Nashville Predators.

"Do what got you here, play to your strengths," Blues coach Jim Montgomery on his message to Dvorsky. "I think not only in your first game, but a lot of times you've got to talk to players about what you can do."

Dvorsky, 19, will skate with Mathieu Joseph and Alexandre Texier on a line.

"We're excited to watch him play tonight, as I'm sure all of our fan base is," Montgomery said. "I've never seen him skate, and I've never been on the ice with him. If he's playing well, he's going to play a lot. That's the way I go into every game with every player."

The Dvorsky recall is in correlation to Pavel Buchnevich, who missed a 4-1 win against the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday with an illness. Montgomery said after the game and on Sunday that Buchnevich is day to day.

"'Buch' is good," Montgomery said. "It's just a day to day thing. He's not himself right now feeling healthy. We all get viral infections and stuff."

Dvorsky has 43 points (20 goals, 23 assists) in 57 games with the Thunderbirds.

His goals are tied for third among AHL rookies and fifth in points.

Dvorsky was not in the lineup for the Thunderbirds on Saturday and had a four-game point streak (two goals, two assists).

Hockey News

Panthers end road trip with 6-3 loss to East-leading Capitals

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Mar 22, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals right wing Tom Wilson (43) scores a goal past Florida Panthers goaltender Vitek Vanecek (41) during the second period at Capital One Arena. (Amber Searls-Imagn Images)

The longest road trip of the season for the Florida Panthers came to a frustrating end on Saturday night.

Facing the Eastern Conference-leading Washington Capitals, Florida couldn’t keep up with the high-flying Caps and lost 6-3 at Capital One Arena.

The Panthers fell behind early after Connor McMichael caught Florida’s blueliners in a line change.

McMichael went in all alone on Vitel Vanecek and made a silky smooth move to give the Caps a 1-0 lead at the 3:15 mark.

Just over three minutes later, a fortunate bounce put the puck on the stick of rookie Mackie Samoskevich in the corner and he quickly found Sam Bennett on the doorstep.

All Bennett had to do was redirect the pass into an empty net, knotting the score at one.

The goals continued to come fast and furious after that.

Defensemen John Carlson and Seth Jones traded goals 92 seconds apart, and then a minute later, Anthony Beauvillier gave Washington their third lead of the period at 3-2.

Jonah Gadjovich was quick to tie the game at three just 31 seconds after Beauvillier’s goal, and that’s how the game would go into the first intermission.

The second period was not a great one for the Panthers.

By the time the middle frame was six minutes old, Washington had already scored not one, not two but three more goals, taking a commanding 6-3 lead that would end up being the final score.

On to the Penguins.

QUICK THOUGHTS

Bennett logged his third multi-point game this month. He’s logged 10 points in 10 March games for Florida.

The goal by Jones was his first as a member of the Panthers. He’s logged thee points over his past six games.

Evan Rodrigues’ assist on Jones’ goal was his first point in nine games.

Nico Sturm picked up his first point as a Panther with an assist on Jones’ goal.

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Hockey News

Islanders' three-game win streak snapped after 4-3 OT loss to Flames

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NEW YORK (AP) — Nazem Kadri scored at 3:51 of overtime and the Calgary Flames beat the New York Islanders 4-3 on Saturday.

Matt Coronato had two goals and Jonathan Huberdeau had a goal and two assists for Calgary in its third straight win. Dan Vladar finished with 26 saves.

Bo Horvat, Marc Gatcomb and Kyle MacLean scored for the Islanders. Maxim Tsyplakov and Noah Dobson each had two assists, and Marcus Hogberg had 31 saves as New York snapped a three-game win streak but extended its point streak to five games (3-0-2).

Hogberg denied Morgan Frost on a breakaway shortly before Kadri scored the winning goal.

Huberdeau, playing in his 900th career NHL game, scored the tying goal with 2:22 remaining — just 29 seconds after MacLean gave the Islanders a 3-2 lead late in the third period.

Vladar made a nifty glove save on Ryan Pulock in the closing seconds to keep the game tied.

Takeaways

Flames: MacKenzie Weegar was a late scratch due to a lower-body injury. The right-handed defenseman has averaged a career-high 23:53 of ice time per game and has 41 points (seven goals, 34 assists) in his third season with Calgary.

Islanders: Hogberg made his first start since March 9. Ilya Sorokin had started the previous five games and Semyon Varlamov has not played since late November due to a lower-body injury.

Key moment

Coronato, a 22-year-old forward from New York, scored twice in his first professional game on Long Island.

Key stat

Dobson and Simon Holmstrom each extended their individual point streaks to four games, a career high for Holmstrom.

Up next

Flames host Seattle on Tuesday while Islanders host Columbus on Monday.

Hockey News, The Hockey News

Four NHL Coaches Who Could Be Job Hunting This Summer

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Lindy Ruff (James Guillory-Imagn Images)

The NHL’s coaching carousel is spinning faster than ever, with multiple teams changing coaches – including the Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings and St. Louis Blues – during the current regular season. But the way things are shaping up, there are going to be more changes we should expect to see once this season is over. 

With that in mind, here are four coaches likely to part ways with their team this summer. In alphabetical order:

1. Andrew Brunette, Nashville Predators

The Predators have been one of the biggest disappointments this season, posting a 25-35-8 record that puts them in 14th place in the Western Conference. Consequently, the spotlight is squarely on Brunette, who has been on the job in Nashville since May of 2023. That may not sound like a long time for a coach to leave their mark, but if Preds GM Barry Trotz isn’t going to make material changes to his team’s roster, the thing he can change is his coach.

It’s certainly not solely Brunette’s fault that Nashville is where they are in the standings. However, the Predators may opt for a new voice behind the bench. And that would leave Brunette looking for work after this season concludes.

2. Lindy Ruff, Buffalo Sabres

Many eyebrows were raised when greybeard veteran Ruff was hired for his second tour of coaching duty in Buffalo last April. But the Sabres have been unable to improve in Ruff’s latest tenure, generating the Eastern Conference’s worst record at 27-35-6. The 65-year-old Ruff may see his tenure come to an end this coming off-season – especially if the Sabres dismiss GM Kevyn Adams at season’s end. A new GM will want their own coach in place, so Buffalo could be looking for a new bench boss very soon.

Ruff’s near-lifelong connection to the Sabres hasn’t translated into many wins this year, and in the zero-sum business of NHL coaching, that’s all that really matters. Buffalo has to chart a different course as soon as possible, and that’s why we believe Ruff will be sent packing in favor of a younger coach with a different vision for this constantly-changing Sabres roster.

3. Joe Sacco, Boston Bruins

The Bruins were accustomed to performing well in recent years, which is why their sub-par performance this season is such a downer for Boston fans. Jim Montgomery was fired in mid-November, and Sacco was inserted as an interim replacement for him. But that hasn’t done much good at all, and we don’t see Sacco staying on the job once this year comes to an end.

Who will replace Sacco? Well, we see another coach currently employed by another Eastern Conference team – Penguins bench boss Mike Sullivan, who we’ll discuss below – being the choice in Beantown as the Bruins attempt to retool on the fly. Hiring Sullivan for his second stint as Boston’s coach would give the Bs the structure and discipline they’re in dire need of. Sometimes a return to a familiar face makes sense for a team, and that’s where we think the Bruins will be at with Sullivan if and when he becomes a coaching free agent.

4. Mike Sullivan, Pittsburgh Penguins

Sullivan has been Pittsburgh’s coach since December 2015, and he’s led them to two Stanley Cup championships, giving him a lot of leeway in the nine years he’s been on the job with the Penguins. But every coach eventually reaches his "best before" date, and considering that Sullivan’s Pens have failed to make the playoffs for this season and the previous two seasons, the Penguins need a change behind the bench.

Only Tampa Bay’s Jon Cooper – another multi-time Cup winner – has more current tenure than Sullivan, and we expect Sullivan would quickly be picked up by another team once the Penguins let him go. But the Penguins need a different voice now, and it’s time for both Sullivan and the Pens to mutually agree to part ways. All good things eventually come to an end, and it’s high time for the Penguins to move on from Sullivan.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Hockey News

Flames Outlast Islanders, Win 4-3 In OT

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© Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images

The New York Islanders picked up a point but fell to the Calgary Flames 4-3 in overtime.

Defenseman Alexander Romanov returned to the lineup after missing the past two games with an illness, while the Flames were without defenseman MacKenzie Weegar due to a lower-body injury.

With Ilya Sorokin starting 20 of the Islanders' last 23 games, coach Patrick Roy went with Marcus Hogberg as the starter.

Here's how it happened:

The Flames wasted no time finding the scoresheet, as Long Island native Matt Coronato fired a shot from the point that beat Hogberg just 36 seconds into the game:

The Islanders quickly responded, and ultimately tied the game at 1-1 when Bo Horvat found Tony DeAngelo's rebound at 10:46:

This was Horvat's 24th goal of the season and third in his past two games.

The Islanders took the lead later in the period when Marc Gatcomb beat Dan Vladar at 17:41:

This was Gatcomb's fifth goal of the season, with Max Tsyplakov and Noah Dobson registering assists on the play.

The Flames outshot the Islanders 13-11 in the first period.

A Flames odd-man rush left Coronato open in the slot, where he buried his second goal of the game -- and 20th of the season -- at 6:03 of the second period:

It was a sloppy period for the Islanders, but Hudson Fasching nearly broke the tie with a slick move around the Flames' net with just under four minutes left in the frame.

The Flames outshot the Islanders 13-6 in the second period.

The third period had the feel of playoff hockey, with both teams locking things down defensively.

The Islanders came close to regaining the lead with around six minutes remaining when Mike Reilly came close on a wraparound attempt.

Then, Kyle MacLean broke through when he put Tsyplakov's rebound past Vladar at 17:09:

The Flames quickly tied the game at 3-3, as just 27 seconds later, Jonathan Huberdeau tipped Rasmus Andersson's shot past Hogberg:

The Islanders outshot the Flames 9-7 in the third period.

The Flames came away with the extra point when Nazem Kadri beat Hogberg 3:51 into the overtime frame:

UP NEXT: The Islanders host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday at 7:30 PM ET 

Stay updated with the most interesting Islanders stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.

Hockey News

Blackhawks Swept By Blues; Chicago Drops 7th Straight Game

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Image

Before the Chicago Blackhawks kicked off a road tilt with the St. Louis Blues, Patrick Maroon announced that he was retiring from the NHL after this season. 

That took over as the big story as Maroon, a St. Louis Native, was now confirmed to be playing in his hometown for the final time. 

Unsurprisingly, that didn't give the Blackhawks much of a boost as they have now lost their seventh straight game. 

After a scoreless first period, the Blues took a 2-0 lead in the second thanks to goals by Robert Thomas and Alexey Topochenko. 

In the final minute of the second period, Ilya Mikheyev gave the Blackhawks some life with a short-handed goal. Mikheyev has been great for Chicago lately and has given himself a chance to be a part of the team going into next season. 

In the third period, the Blues scored two more goals (Nathan Walker and Zack Bolduc) to put the Blackhawks away. The 4-1 score was the final in favor of the Blues. This is now the fifth straight win for the Blues who are trying to hang onto their playoff spot. 

This is a disappointing result for the Blackhawks who were looking to end a losing streak and end the momentum from their biggest rival. 

Pat Maroon didn't score but his final game in St. Louis ended with some fireworks as he had a third-period fight with Tyler Tucker to get the crowd going.

The Blues honored him with a video tribute once the story started to travel and he was named to be the first star of the game. Despite the loss, Maroon will have a fond memory of this game for a long time. 

It's now a quick turnaround for the Blackhawks as they will head home to play the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday afternoon. Will they avoid their 8th straight loss or can they finally find that gritty win to break the bad streak?

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

Hockey History, Hockey News

Senators Star Goalie Ullmark First Blossomed As Part Of Bruins' Juggernaut

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(MAR 20, 2023 -- VOL. 76, ISSUE 11)

Ottawa Senators star goalie Linus Ullmark is a major part of the Sens' push to this year's Stanley Cup playoffs. But in this cover story from THN's March 20, 2023 edition, editor-in-chief Ryan Kennedy profiled Ullmark as he thrived with the Boston Bruins:

HITTING HIS MARK

By Ryan Kennedy

Boston goalie Linus Ullmark didn’t just walk into the room for his media availability at all-star weekend in Florida; he made an entrance. With a silver-and-white paisley suit enrobing his 6-foot-5 frame and a matching fedora that would make teammate/hockey style icon David Pastrnak proud, Ullmark was impossible to miss – just like his play on the ice for the Bruins this season. “I talked to my tailor and said, ‘Hey, we need to come up with something fancy now that it’s in Florida and it’s my first one,’” Ullmark said.

And hey, mission accomplished on that front. But the weekend also gave one of the NHL’s newest stars a chance to take it all in, as he was now in the same company as netminding titans such as Andrei Vasilevskiy, Igor Shesterkin and Connor Hellebuyck. “It’s always fun to be around guys who are great at their job,” Ullmark said. “To see what they’re doing, pick their brains a little. It’s just about being in the moment for me.”

As Boston carved a path of carnage through the NHL – at one point, it looked like the B’s might threaten the 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens’ modern record of only eight losses in a season – it was clear the team had weapons and depth everywhere. But Ullmark, whose gaudy individual numbers had him as the betting favorite to win the Vezina Trophy, has been the breakout star. His .938 save percentage at the end of February was on track to be the best mark in the past 10 years (minimum 25 games), while his league-leading 33.3 goals saved above expected showed he wasn’t simply taking advantage of playing on a juggernaut squad.

“That’s a huge reason we have the record we have,” said coach Jim Montgomery. “He’s just so rock-solid. There’s nothing coming off his body, he just swallows everything up. He takes whistles when he should. He plays the puck extremely well. He’s having a fantastic year.”

Indeed, delving more into the advanced stats, Ullmark is freezing more pucks than expected, and his wins above replacement (5.54) leads all NHL goalies. Ullmark even got himself on the score sheet, becoming the first goalie in franchise history to score a goal – shooting the puck the length of the ice into an empty net against Vancouver on Feb. 25. “He’s been standing on his head and playing unbelievable,” Pastrnak said. “It’s fun to watch him, to be honest. He’s big, he’s playing confident in the net, and he’s having a special year.”

Ullmark was good for the Bruins last season after signing on as a free agent in the summer. But he split duty equally with rookie Jeremy Swayman, and it was Swayman who played the majority of Boston’s seven-game opening-round playoff loss to Carolina after the Hurricanes bombed Ullmark in the first two games. So where did this next level come from?

Let’s go way back and start with Ullmark’s roots. He grew up in Lugnvik, Sweden, not far from the legendary northern hockey city of Ornskoldsvik. That’s where the Modo program is based, and that’s where iconic names such as Peter Forsberg, Markus Naslund, the Sedin twins and Victor Hedman honed their craft before coming to the NHL. It’s where Ullmark got his start, too.

“It was a lot of fun,” he said. “My goal when I was young was to play for the big-league team, and I managed to get there. I had the opportunity to go through their system when I was in high school as well and met a lot of special people during my time there who still help me on my journey.”

In fact, Ullmark made his debut with the big team when he was just 18. The following summer (in 2012), the Buffalo Sabres drafted him 163rd overall. Ullmark continued to climb the ladder with Modo in the ensuing years and was the team’s starter for two seasons before he decamped for North America in 2015. His first pro season stateside was split between the Sabres and AHL Rochester, then mostly Rochester for the two years after that. He was with Buffalo full-time starting in 2018-19. Despite the team’s struggles, the experience was vital for his growth.

“It meant a lot,” Ullmark said. “I grew up, basically, over here in Rochester and Buffalo. I have a lot of gratitude towards that organization and all my teammates and coaches there over the years. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be where I am now.”

Ullmark arrived in Boston during a fascinating time for the franchise. The Bruins had been on easy street when it came to goalies for more than a decade, going from 2011 Cup-winning stopper Tim Thomas to backup-turned-star Tuukka Rask. With Rask’s future in question due to a hip injury and the B’s still one of the best teams in the East, Boston needed reinforcements. Swayman was a promising option whose NHL career got off to a great start at the end of 2020-21, but the team didn’t want to rush him. Ullmark, a free-agent signing, was the safer option.

As it turned out, both Swayman and Ullmark were solid last season, and that Ullmark has seized the starting role now hasn’t led to any friction because the two have a great relationship. “It’s part of the Bruins’ culture,” Montgomery said. “Everybody supports each other. Everybody is hoping the other one has success, and those two exemplify that. I guess the only other time I’ve seen that is when I was in college (with the NCAA Maine Black Bears) when Garth Snow and Mike Dunham were close like that.”

When asked why this season has gone so well for him, Ullmark finds himself still searching for a concrete answer – but he knows he has done it as part of a unit. “It’s hard to say,” Ullmark said. “I’ve been thinking of that myself. Small pieces here and there have fallen into place. I feel more at home in Boston since it’s no longer my first year, and we have a great team, it goes hand-in-hand with my performance and also Sway’s performance. It’s not a one-man show.”

And that’s what makes Boston such an easy pick for success. The Bruins’ culture has been so strong over the years – led by the likes of Zdeno Chara to Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand – that working new guys into the lineup appears to be seamless. “We are equal,” Pastrnak said. “The guys set such a high standard and have done so for years. It doesn’t matter if you’re in your first year or last, everybody is open to each other. We speak up and try to get better together as a group.”

For the Bruins to be in the mix as long as they have is admirable, and the end goal remains the same. Hence the passion. “We have a lot of personnel on our team that know what needs to be done,” Ullmark said. “First and foremost is Bergy, our captain. He knows what needs to be done and tells us to stay humble to the process, to believe in the process. And that’s what we try to work on every single day, doesn’t matter if we win or lose. Our goal is, at the end of the year, to win the last game of the season.”

A new voice has also helped the group. Montgomery is in his first year behind the bench, and while the man he replaced, Bruce Cassidy, is having his own success with the Vegas Golden Knights, the Bruins have been very happy under ‘Monty,’ with Pastrnak calling him a “pleasure to work with” and lauding the coach’s smarts and understanding of his players. And that respect goes both ways, as the bench boss has been impressed with how unselfish the team is. “The leadership, they’re professional every day they come to the rink, they want to be coached,” Montgomery said. “It’s a special group of people that want to be great.”

But you can’t be great without goaltending, and that’s why Ullmark has been so key to Boston’s success. “That’s what my line of work is,” he said. “And for some reason, it’s been going better than normal. You know, a lot of things have fallen into place. I have a good understanding of my game. I have a great relationship with my teammates and my coaches.”

As for expectations, Ullmark is fine with them. Clearly, the Bruins were going to be one of the most targeted (or feared, depending on how good or bad your lineup is) teams down the stretch, and when you rack up as many wins as they have, you can’t go into the playoffs claiming that nobody believed in you – even Travis Kelce would probably admit that Boston is the favorite. But that’s just fine with them.

Ullmark deflects hype just as well as he bats away pucks. “We, as players in our locker room, put more pressure on ourselves than anybody else could,” he said. “We know what to expect, we know what needs to be done out there. I would much rather be in this position than the opposite position, where you have a 33-percent winning percentage instead of 70 percent or whatever we’re at.”

Currently, the franchise is stuck on six Cups – that 2011 win being the most recent. Boston has been blessed with numerous pro-sports titles recently, but you know Bostonians would love another from their Bruins. Ullmark has been doing his part to make that happen, and he doesn’t plan on stopping. “It’s been working so far, so hopefully I can keep it up,” he said. “I’m very fortunate and blessed to be here, and now, I feel a lot of gratitude to my teammates who helped me get to this point. And to Boston itself.”

Hockey News

Ottawa Senators Top Farm Club Now Has A New All-Time Leading Goal Scorer

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On Friday night, Angus Crookshank became the Belleville Senators' all-time leading goal scorer. He scored his team-leading 22nd goal of the season, helping the Senators defeat the Toronto Marlies 3-2. This goal was Crookshank's 77th career goal, moving him past Egor Sokolov as the franchise's all-time leader in goals.

© Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photography, Belleville Senators

"Yeah, it's cool to think about it," Crookshank told the Belleville Senators Entertainment Network after the game. "I mean, at the end of the day, I wouldn't be able to call myself a record holder without my teammates that I've played with over the past three years. So I'm very thankful for them, and yeah, hopefully, I can score a few more down the stretch here."

Despite his continued success in the American Hockey League (AHL) and strong support from his head coach, David Bell, Crookshank’s future with the Sens organization is unknown at the moment. The 25-year-old is about to become a Group 6 unrestricted free agent. A player earns that status if he's 25 (check), has completed three or more professional seasons (check), has a contract expiring (check), and has played less than 80 NHL Games (check).

Crookshank appeared in 13 NHL games last season, so when he re-signed with the club, it seemed like he might have a chance at a full-time NHL spot this season. But Ottawa general manager Steve Staios completely shuffled the roster in his first summer on the job, which appears to have pushed Crookshank down several spots on the depth chart.

The Sens moved out bottom-six regulars like Mathieu Joseph, Parker Kelly, Mark Kastelic, and Dominik Kubalik. But their roles were scooped up by new additions like David Perron, Noah Gregor, Nick Cousins, Michael Amadio, and Adam Gaudette. Not only that, but with a new coaching staff in Ottawa, some of Crookshank’s AHL teammates that he outplayed last season were suddenly being favoured for NHL opportunities this season – players like Zack Ostapchuk, Cole Reinhardt, and Matthew Highmore.

But his head coach is still firmly on Crookshank's bandwagon.

“He’s grown his game,” Bell told TSN 1200 Radio last month. “Before, his defensive game was probably a deficiency. He kills penalties for us now. He plays center for us sometimes. Now he’s playing right wing with Reinhardt down here. So he plays all three positions. He’s on the ice at the end of the game. He’s consciously rounded out his game to be more reliable defensively and more reliable on the walls.”

Crookshank’s work ethic and versatility continue to make him a key contributor for Belleville, and a future in the show remains a strong possibility. It's just a question now of whether that NHL opportunity lies in Ottawa or somewhere else.

By Steve Warne
Site Editor at The Hockey News Ottawa

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