Ullmark Picks Up First Bruins Win as Boston Takes Down Sabres

BUFFALO - Before the game, Linus Ullmark was just trying to keep it all together.
The netminder was back in Buffalo for the first time as a visiting player and set to make his Bruins debut. Ullmark said that warmups felt like an "out of body experience" as he tried to process it all in the place that he spent the first six years of his NHL career.
But once the puck dropped, the Sweden native was locked in. Ullmark made 35 saves to pick up his first Bruins win as Boston took down the Sabres, 4-1, at KeyBank Center on Friday night.

"He was excellent," said Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy. "Gave us a chance to win, certainly. We rewarded him by finishing a couple plays in the first period even though they were the better team in terms of territorial play, puck possession, etcetera. Good for Linus.
"I'm sure he wanted to play well here, specifically, and play well no matter where he played, but more importantly here. Happy for him. He's worked hard the last couple weeks to get his game in order and tonight he certainly looked that way."
Ullmark was particularly strong in the first period when Buffalo peppered him with 15 shots. But the backstop stood strong, turning away everything the Sabres threw his way - including a remarkable (and, perhaps, lucky) left leg stop as he sprawled out in the crease -and the Bruins came out of the opening 20 minutes with a 2-0 lead.
"I thought he was awesome," said Brandon Carlo. "I think he held us in that game throughout the first two periods, especially. There were some chances we needed to clean up in front of our net a little bit, but he was a brick wall tonight.
"I think he played very well. I loved his puck play. I connected well with him in the first period playing the puck. I feel like we're getting a little more comfortable in that regard. I thought his first game was fantastic."
Ullmark came just 5:25 away from registering a shutout in his Bruins debut, as Victor Olofsson struck with a wrister through his five-hole to pull the Sabres within two goals in the closing minutes. Despite the late tally, Ullmark was thrilled to get his first victory in Black & Gold.
"It's definitely gonna be one of those lifelong memories for sure. It was very special," said Ullmark. "I had a couple lucky bounces. But that's the game of hockey, sometimes you have them with you and sometimes you don't. Today was one of those days where I had them with me, and the guys did a terrific job of putting the puck in the net at the other end."

Right on the Nose

After some shaky opening minutes, Cassidy opted to shift around his forward group. Among the changes were Charlie Coyle (goal, two assists) moving over to play right wing with Tomas Nosek bumping up to center Coyle and Taylor Hall. The move paid immediate dividends as the trio connected for a beautiful, tic-tac-toe goal that Nosek finished off for his first as a Bruin to put Boston up, 2-0, with 4:10 left in the first.
"I know what I said the other day, I thought the pieces fit. But I guess they unfit," said Cassidy. "Listen, we're trying to get Coyle and Hall going together - maybe someone else in the middle, Charlie on the wing type of thing. It worked for today. Sometimes those are attention getters, sometimes you find solutions as well."
Cassidy also felt that Craig Smith was "a little off" after needing a maintenance day on Thursday and opted to shift the winger down to play with Jake DeBrusk and Erik Haula.
"Didn't have his game," said Cassidy. "I think he's a little sore and he's not letting on as much, so we just decided to flip some people around, still keep the pairs - Haula and DeBrusk, Coyle and Hall, just move Coyle over."

Coyle Comes Through

Coyle also cashed in for his first goal of the year when he tapped in a sensational cross-ice feed from Brad Marchand (two assists) on the power play to extend the B's lead to 3-0 at 5:17 of the second period. The forward had not seen much power-play time since returning from offseason surgery, but with Nick Foligno out of the lineup, there was an opening on the second unit.
"We didn't put him on it right away because we worked with the other group all through training camp knowing he wouldn't play and then get him up to speed," said Cassidy. "He was gonna be on the kill for us. We just made an adjustment and it happened to work out.
"It's normally [David Pastrnak] banging that in so good for Charlie. He shot the puck, something we want more out of in any situation. Happy for him. He made a good play on the goal too, backdoor pass. Find a little offensive rhythm."

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