Battle continues for No. 1 goalie spot
Ullmark shining lately for B’s
Bruce Cassidy confirmed on Friday what was becoming increasingly clear over the past couple of weeks. The competition to be the Bruins’ No. 1 goalie is still wide open. And it may not even been closed by the time the Stanley Cup playoffs roll around.
BRUINS NOTEBOOK
After the B’s had two off days, Cassidy made a mildly eyebrow-raising move to go with Linus Ullmark for Friday’s big game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The recent stats for Ullmark (5-0, 1.69 GAA, .931 save percentage) and Jeremy Swayman (3-3, 3.39, .883) made it hard to argue with the move. But it wasn’t too long ago that the thought of Swayman being the Man come playoff time was a settled debate after he ripped off a 9-0-1 run from February 12 to March 12.
That is not necessarily so. “We’ve relied on both of them. They’ve both played well for the most part. Linus right now probably has been more consistent than Jeremy as of late,” Cassidy told reporters in Tampa. “This is Jeremy’s first real (dip) since he’s been here. He’s been steady. It’s been a bit of blip here and we’re going to allow him to play through it. Hopefully he finds it again and we’ll go right down to the wire with good choices in that regard. If you’re asking, looking ahead to the playoffs, who would be the guy, we’re undecided right now. It could be both. We’re not sure yet.”
One area of concern for Swayman has been his puck play around and behind the net, especially with handoffs to his defensemen. The retired Tuukka Rask had become proficient at the less-then-glamorous yet essential part of the position.
But Cassidy, who was with Rask all the way back in Providence, said that that was an acquired skill.
“It took Tuukka a while to value that part of the game,” said Cassidy. “That’s why we talk to Jeremy, saying ‘You’ve got to stick with it, stick with it.’ You just have to play through those touches so you get the confidence to do it. We’re not going to abandon it. But if that is affecting the rest of your game, just do the 100 percenters until you feel a little more comfortable. But he has to continue to work on it. It’s just too important for breaking out pucks.”
Going into Friday’s game, Ullmark’s game had clearly improved, both on the statsheet but also from the eye test.
“Rebound control is better, recovery form rebounds, more under control,” said Cassidy. “I think the start of the year there was a lot of scrambling, for lack of a better term, to get back in position. He’s a big guy, so it happens, but not nearly as much as before. He’s cleaner around the the front of the net with pucks in terms of getting them out of harm’s way…Some of the havoc that was happening at the start of the year seems to have dissipated in his game. Just more under control in every area.”
Lindholm out
Both Hampus Lindholm (knee) and David Pastrnak (presumed core injury) were not available for Friday’s game. Neither skated Friday’s morning skate at Amalie Arena. There was some hope they’d get on the ice on Saturday in Washington, though that is hardly a sure thing. Cassidy said that Lindholm is closer to a return than Pastrnak, though both players remain on the trip.
It would behoove the B’s to be conservative with their injured stars. While there’s playoff positioning at stake down the stretch, the danger of falling out of a playoff spot is minuscule. The B’s were 20 points clear of the ninth-place Islanders.
And among the eight teams who will most likely qualify in the Eastern Conference, there is not a team that can’t stake a claim to being a bona fide contender.
“It’s kind of pick your poison. And I think for us, we’re all about getting our game together,” said Cassidy. “I guess there was a time when we thought home ice might be in play for us. Toronto’s won a few in a row now. But I think it will go right down to the wire and for us, I don’t think it will matter. We’re going to play a good team and it’s about is our team trending well at the right time. I think right now it is for us, for the most part. I think Tampa’s a little different, because they’ve been there and done it. I think they’ll be fine. Toronto and Florida have a little something to prove so I think our whole division will be interesting once it shakes out. Now one of us could end up over there against Carolina, I don’t know how that will play out. But for me, I’m not even thinking about for a second who we’re going to play. It’s more about our team. (The opponent) is going to be a good team no matter what.”
McLaughlin fills in for Pastrnak
Marc McLaughlin did indeed get the call to play in Pastrnak’s spot with Taylor Hall and Erik Haula. While Hall wasn’t about to compare the Boston College product, with two pro games under his belt, to the superstar Pastrnak, he does believe the Billerica native has a strong future in the league.
“Marc’s going to be a really good pro. He’s going to be a good NHL player. It’s pretty obvious right from the get-go when he practiced with us,” said Hall after the morning skate. “He plays with a lot of pace. I think he’s a big strong kid who can shoot it and (Thursday) in practice, he was seeing the ice pretty well. Those are all really good things and he’s only going to get better and better. This is a tough NHL building to play in for your third NHL game, no question. But it’s up to us to help him along the way.”
B’s going after Buckeye center
The B’s were zeroing in on a deal for Ohio State forward Georgi Merkulov, who as a 21year-old freshman led the Buckeyes in goalscoring (20) and points (34) in 36 games. With one of the B’s top prospects, defenseman Mason Lohrei (OSU’s second leading scorer), in Columbus as well, the club’s scouts no doubt got a good look at Merkulov….
The B’s announced they will honor the 1972 Stanley Cup team on its 50th anniversary prior to the April 14 game against the Ottawa Senators. Those confirmed to attend are Don Awrey, Johnny Bucyk, Ken Hodge, Don Marcotte, Garry Peters, Dallas Smith, Rick Smith and family members of Ace and Johnny McKenzie.