Boston Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark (35) gloves the puck during a game against the New Jersey Devils in Newark, N.J., in December. AP file photo
A little over 12 hours after Linus Ullmark left the Boston’s win over Washington with an injury, the Bruins called up goalie Brandon Bussi from Providence.
Circumstantially, it looks concerning. But does that actually indicate anything about Ullmark’s prognosis?
Not necessarily. If he was injured and heading to the shelf for a while, the Bruins would obviously call up a goalie. But even if he hadn’t come out of Thursday’s game with what Jim Montgomery called “muscle tightness,” it’s possible, even likely, that the Bruins would have recalled Bussi among a wave of Providence players to dress and maybe even start at Montreal on Thursday.
Following Tuesday’s game, Montgomery called taking Ullmark out of the game a precaution, and said he wasn’t worried about his goalie’s status. Ullmark didn’t practice Wednesday.
It makes sense not to have Ullmark get on a plane for a meaningless game. The Bruins could be similarly careful with other recently injured players, including Taylor Hall, Patrice Bergeron and Charlie McAvoy.
Bussi, 24, has been good for the Providence Bruins. In 31 games, he’s 21-5-4 with a 2.38 goals against average and .925 save percentage.
The 6-foot-5, 209-pound Western Michigan product backed up Jeremy Swayman on Sunday at Philadelphia, but hasn’t appeared in a game for the Boston Bruins. Keith Kinkaid is the only goalie other than Ullmark or Swayman to play in a game for Boston this season.
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