9 hours Ago
OTTAWA — Linus Ullmark played his best game of the season on Monday, making 48 saves against the Detroit Red Wings. It was the most saves he had made in a game all year long. And that early week feat will be eclipsed by an all-world save.
Ullmark has had some great saves throughout his inaugural year with the Senators. Thursday night’s web gem should be remembered as his best — and the league’s best — of the 2024-25 season. The Swedish netminder dove in the air to stop a one-time blast from Boston Bruins defenceman Mason Lohrei, catching it in his glove before it crossed the goal line in the second period of Ottawa’s 6-3 victory over the Boston Bruins.
It was a viral moment that dominated many hockey-laden social media feeds on Thursday night. I think this is the save of the year. pic.
twitter.com/MdlZyrndea — Julian McKenzie (@jkamckenzie) March 14, 2025 “I basically played (Marat Khusnutdinov) one-on-one,” Ullmark said. “He makes a great pass cross-seam and I don’t really see it.
But at the same time I’m just trying to get my footing and throw myself in there. I see the puck and I can extend my arm to catch it. Happened in the spur of the moment.
But I’m happy that I found a way to just throw myself in there and didn’t quit on it.” Advertisement “It was unreal,” Senators forward Drake Batherson said. “I had a front seat to it.
It was a pretty amazing stop. And he was smiling ear-to-ear when he got up with the puck in his glove.” Wait a minute.
Ullmark did what when the puck ended up in his glove? “I was just laughing,” Ullmark said. “Sometimes, you think and wonder how did that happen? Like, how? What happened prior? How did I get here? You just have to smile and laugh about it because you saved it. And then you let it go and focus on the next one.
Because you don’t want to make a brilliant save like that and then end up having a bad goal right after just because you’re so caught up in the moment of feeling like a stud after making that save. You’ve got to keep yourself toned down a little bit and focus on the next one.” The Senators dominated most of the game on Thursday, but the Bruins found ways to beat Ullmark despite not peppering him with rubber.
When Khusnutdinov scored in the second period, it was Boston’s third goal on eight shots. Ullmark himself admitted it was a game of “ups and downs.” Boston tried to generate momentum for a comeback in the second period and enter the third period with control of the game.
But Ullmark’s heroics closed the door on that. “I mean, to be honest, it was a heck of a save,” Bruins forward Casey Mittelstadt said. “Any time someone makes that big of a save, it’s pretty uncommon.
Especially it seemed like (it) was an empty net.” “It was a big save for sure,” Senators head coach Travis Green said. “It’s a big difference between a two-goal lead and a one-goal.
” Senators fans can tell you stories about how bad goaltending has plagued their franchise. Particularly during the Senators’ near-eight-year playoff drought. Last year’s starter, Joonas Korpisalo, is a reminder of those dark days.
The Finnish goalie was on the other side of the Ullmark trade that brought the latter to the Canadian nation’s capital. Korpisalo made an appearance in relief of Jeremy Swayman from the second period onward after Ottawa scored four goals on 15 shots. Advertisement With respect to Korpisalo, the Sens’ love for their new goaltender has eclipsed their old flame.
“Oh my God, he’s such a stud,” Senators defenceman Tyler Kleven said. “He’s such a big part of this team. And he wins us a lot of games.
“You don’t win the Vezina Trophy for no reason. He’s done it all year. You see it in practice every day, the way that he competes.
” On Monday, Sens fans chanted ‘Ullmark’ in amazement at his performance. But the goaltender was so focused, he said he didn’t hear them. On Thursday, fans bowed in respect and admiration.
And those chants resurfaced. He knows they’re there. It’s a “humbling” feeling for him to hear them.
“Because whenever they do chant your name, it means you’re working hard and that you’re doing the right things,” Ullmark said. “That’s what you want to do. I don’t always hear it.
“It doesn’t give me confidence in this way because I just try to keep my focus on the ice and not what’s going on around the building or the jumbotron. But at least I heard it today.” If Ullmark saving the puck wasn’t enough, he nearly ended his night with a goalie goal.
Ullmark accomplished the feat as a Bruin two years ago during his Vezina Trophy-winning season. So, the thought of him replicating that feat was on his mind. “I thought to myself earlier that would be fun to get one against these guys, obviously,” Ullmark said.
“But (I’m) not going to force it. There’s only so many opportunities you get. The puck ended up coming down.
I felt that I had the time to go out there and shoot it. But then as soon as I got out there, I think it was (Morgan) Geekie and (Jake Sanderson) that came in from the right side. And shooting it from that left side is hard, because you have to shoot around yourself almost and open it up.
“I just tried to send it and hopefully get a good bounce. And so when I shot it and I saw it went (that) way I’m like ‘yeah, that’s not even close.’ But at least I tried.
” Advertisement It wasn’t long ago when Ullmark was searching for his game after returning from a back injury and applied pressure on himself for not winning. Green even called his goaltender’s game “average.” Now, Ullmark has won five of his last six starts since the beginning of March.
It couldn’t have come at a better time as the Senators continue to hold down a playoff spot and create distance from their nearest rivals. “He’s been such a big part of our team this year. And hopefully he can keep going,” Kleven said.
(Photo: Marc DesRosiers / Imagn Images).
