What is Linus Ullmark’s process in the shootout?
A lot changed in the NHL following the season-long lockout in 2004-05. For goaltenders, the most significant change was the introduction of the shootout. Prior to the lockout, games tied after regulation and five minutes of overtime were just that, ties. But now, goalies would have to contend with multiple breakaways following scoreless overtimes to ensure that one teams gets to go home a winner.
As shootouts have grown more frequent over time, effectiveness in shootouts has become an increasingly important trait for NHL goaltenders, and few have been better in that area than Linus Ullmark. The Ottawa Senators goaltender ranks second all-time in shootout save percentage (.810) among goalies that have made at least 40 career saves in the shootout. The Senators are 3-0 in shootouts this season, with Ullmark earning the win in each.
On Thursday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Tyler Yaremchuk and former NHL goaltender Carter Hutton were joined by Ullmark himself to discuss his approach in shootouts.
Carter Hutton: You’re one of the best goalies all-time in the shootout. What is your process when you get there? You’re top-five in all-time. If we broke those numbers down, some of those guys haven’t been in a lot of games. You have an unbelievable save percentage there. What’s your process like when you get to a shootout? Like last night, you’re facing Jack Eichel, a former teammate of ours, and then you get Mitch Marner. You have a chance to win the game and you make a huge save. What’s that feeling like? Can you explain that to out viewers?
Linus Ullmark: I do have a love/hate relationship when it comes to shootouts overall. You can have a wonderful game as a goaltender, you can have a shutout going into the shootout, and then you let in three, and now you’re going to feel like the absolute worst goalie in the world. Compared to maybe yesterday where you have a pretty good game, and then you make three saves, you win it, and it’s the best feeling in the world. For me, I don’t take anything for granted, because I know there’s a lot of good skill guys. Yesterday I’d say I was pretty lucky on the first one, because he made a good move but I managed to poke check him or slash his stick so he loses the puck.
Most of the time it all comes down to the timing of it, and being able to stay on your feet as long as possible. As soon as you drop, that’s what happened on the first one, he gets me to bite and takes it wide, and now all of a sudden you’re chasing. Compared to the next two where I felt like I was more in control of the situation. I had a better read of where they had their stick and their approach to it, depending on if they want to go left or right or shoot. And then you meet some guys, like Mason MacTavish for example in Anaheim, who has that little fake, goes backhand but then puts it between your legs. You can’t protect yourself on those ones because, as you know Hutts, there’s certain reads where you think they’re going to go backhand roof and all of a sudden he puts it back. I’ve been lucky so far not having to go up against a guy like Patrick Kane for a lot of my shootouts, so those are the things that play into perspective when you look at it, but it’s always great fun when you’re on the winning side of it.
You can watch the full segment and the rest of the episode here…