Boston Bruins

Bruins injuries: Linus Ullmark ‘day to day,’ Brandon Carlo placed on IR

Linus Ullmark needed help getting off the ice during Tuesday's loss to the Coyotes.

An injured Boston Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark (35) is helped off the ice by defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk (12), left wing Jake DeBrusk (74) and a member of the training staff during overtime of the team's NHL hockey game against the Arizona Coyotes on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, in Tempe, Ariz. The Coyotes won 4-3.
Linus Ullmark was injured during Tuesday's loss to Arizona. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

By Conor Ryan

2 minutes to read

Considering the optics Tuesday night at Mullett Arena, the Bruins seem to have dodged a bullet when it comes to goalie Linus Ullmark.

Despite Ullmark needing help getting off the ice after an injury during Boston’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Coyotes on Tuesday, Jim Montgomery told reporters on Thursday afternoon the netminder is “day to day” with his lower-body injury.

Montgomery added that rookie forward Matt Poitras and defenseman Brandon Carlo are also both “day to day” and will not play Thursday night against the Golden Knights, but all three will remain on the current four-game road trip.

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With Ullmark sidelined, Jeremy Swayman will start Thursday and is projected to also play on Saturday night against the St. Louis Blues.

“When we talk about people getting an opportunity, he’s a young man that you know just can’t wait for the opportunity,” Montgomery said of Swayman’s increased workload. “He just wants more and more. And he’s gonna get the ability to play consecutive games here. And I have a lot of confidence because of his attitude and his confidence.”

Ullmark was injured 2:40 into overtime on Tuesday against Arizona, dropping to the ice in pain while deflecting a sailing shot from Logan Cooley. After being attended to by trainers on the ice, Ullmark needed assistance getting off the frozen sheet before making his way to the locker room.

Goalie Brandon Bussi was recalled from Providence on an emergency basis on Thursday, with the 25-year-old netminder expected to serve as Swayman’s backup for at least the next two games.

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“Just his compete, his athleticism, and his attitude. He carries himself in a real positive, upbeat manner,” Montgomery said of Bussi. “He’s got a strut to himself.”

Poitras left Tuesday’s game early in the third period after colliding with Sean Durzi and hitting the ice hard. He made his way off the ice while favoring his shoulder.

The rookie logged 8:34 of ice time before leaving the game. Tuesday marked Poitras’s third game back from the World Junior Championships in Sweden, with the 19-year-old pivot recording a pair of helpers in his first game back with Boston on Saturday against the Lightning.

Even though Carlo was handed the same “day-to-day” designation as the rest of his banged-up teammates, the team later placed the defenseman on injured reserve Thursday. Carlo, who was injured during Monday’s shootout loss against the Avalanche, is expected to miss at least the next three games. 

Here’s a look at Boston’s projected lineup ahead of Thursday’s game in Las Vegas, per Fluto Shinzawa of The Athletic. 

Boqvist-Zacha-Pastrnak
Marchand-Coyle-DeBrusk
Frederic-Geekie-Heinen
Van Riemsdyk-Beecher-Lauko

Lohrei-McAvoy
Lindholm-Wotherspoon
Grzelcyk-Shattenkirk

Swayman
Bussi

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Conor Ryan

Sports Writer

 

Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.

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