Linus Ullmark spent the previous three seasons helping get the Boston Bruins to the playoffs. On Thursday night, he played a big role in helping to potentially keep them from the playoffs this season.
Ullmark stopped 22 of 25 shots against his former team in a 6-3 Ottawa Senators win, including a save late in the second period that might go on the highlight reel as one of the best saves of the NHL season.
Have a look.
That is an incredible save.
Ullmark was one of the best goalies in the league for the Bruins the past three seasons, and along with Jeremy Swayman, he helped form the best goalie duo in the league. But the Bruins traded him to Ottawa over the summer due to salary-cap constraints, and now he has helped put the Senators into a position where they can potentially make the playoffs for the first time since the 2016-17 season.
As for the Bruins, that is an absolutely gigantic loss and really puts them in a tough position to make the playoffs.
The Senators occupy the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with 75 points, and they sit seven points ahead of the Bruins in the standings despite having played two fewer games than Boston.
Even though the Bruins are only two points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the second wild-card spot, Boston has two big issues. Boston has played more games than every team it is competing with, and there are four teams between them and a playoff spot. They also spent the trade deadline selling off veterans, including forwards Brad Marchand, Justin Brazeau and Charlie Coyle, as well as defenseman Brandon Carlo. It is not impossible. It is just not very likely. They really needed this game on Thursday, and one of their former players helped keep them from getting it.