NHL Notebook: Brandon Bussi soaking up experience between Providence and Boston

Brandon Bussi looks like he could be found money between the pipes in the Bruins' prospect pool.

The undrafted puck-stopper out of Western Michigan wrapped up his rookie season in the American Hockey League as one of the league's best goaltenders. 

His 2.40 goals-against average ranked sixth among qualified netminders, and his .924 save percentage was second to only Dustin Wolf (.932), who had a dominant season in the Flames' system. Bussi finished with a 22-5-4-1 marker (W-L-OTL-SOL), helping the Providence Bruins to a 44-18-8-2 record in the regular season, good enough for tops in the Atlantic Division and the Eastern Conference as well as third in the AHL.

The 24-year-old had been riding the recall yo-yo in recent weeks. Boston recalled him as part of a contingent of P-Bruins that made the trip to Philadelphia in the B's record-setting 63rd win of the regular season on April 9. Days later he was back with the varsity club to back up Jeremy Swayman in the regular-season finale in Montreal. 

On Monday, Bussi got the call again to serve as the emergency third goalie for Game 1 of the playoffs against the Florida Panthers. Swayman had been absent on Sunday due to illness as a bug made its way around the team. Linus Ullmark has apparently had something nagging him too, although the Bruins don't believe it's related to what caused him to leave a game against Washington on April 11. There was also a report that Ullmark had been "pretty sick" when he played Game 1. 

Bussi is on the trip to Florida for Games 3 and 4. Had Ullmark, a game-time decision, not been able to go on Friday, Bussi would have backed up Swayman again. With now an opportunity to study Ullmark, the Vezina favorite, and Swayman, who statistically finished as a top-five goaltender, Bussi is just trying to take in every moment.

"It's been an unbelievable experience, getting my first call-up a little over a week ago," he said in a 1-on-1 chat with BSJ at Warrior Ice Arena on Wednesday. "Getting to kind of soak everything in and be around the guys has been really cool, seeing how everyone is just day-to-day, professional, trying to get better. That's what you want to be around. I'm going to take the experience I have here and bring it back to Prov for our playoff run."

It's been a whirlwind calendar year for Bussi.

Slightly less than 11 months ago, his collegiate run at Western Michigan ended at the hands of Minnesota in the Worcester Regional final of the NCAA tournament. He made 23 saves on 25 shots before an empty-netter to make it 3-0 sealed the Broncos' fate. 

The game prior, Bussi had gone toe-to-toe with Northeastern's Devon Levi, now the heir apparent to the Buffalo Sabres, who went on to claim the Mike Richter Award as the nation's top goaltender after a historic season. Bussi made 30 saves in a 2-1 win for WMU, staring down Levi's 34 at the other end. 

On the year as a whole, Bussi had a .912 save percentage and a 2.55 GAA to go along with a 26-12-1 record and four shutouts on a very offensive-minded Broncos squad. In three years at Western, he compiled a 46-25-5 record, a .910 save percentage and a 2.61 GAA.

Boston had brass at that Worcester Regional, including general manager Don Sweeney and goaltender development coach Mike Dunham. At the time Mark Divver noted that it wasn't the first time Dunham had seen Bussi last season.

The Bruins came calling. 

Bussi inked an entry-level contract worth $825,000. Because of his age, it had to be a one-year deal. He will be a restricted free agent this summer. 

He got a look in the American League right away, going 3-2-0 with a .920 save percentage and 2.54 GAA. Bussi began this season with the B's ECHL affiliate, the Maine Mariners, where he went 3-1-0 (.922, 2.50) in four games. When Swayman got hurt in Pittsburgh on Nov. 1, Boston recalled Keith Kinkaid to back up Ullmark. Bussi got the call to the American League, and he never looked back. He went on to earn a nod in the AHL All-Star game as a rookie. 

Couple Bussi's run with Kyle Keyser's solid season in Providence (13-6-2-1; 2.79 GAA), the acquisition of the younger Michael DiPietro and even the presence of Francois Brassard (who scored a goalie goal on Dec. 18) in Maine on a two-way minor league deal, Kinkaid was expendable after middling results (8-7-4-0; 3.10 GAA) with Providence. The P-Bruins' net became Bussi's when Boston traded Kinkaid in a minor league deal on Feb. 25. 

With such a quick ascension, Bussi is learning what it takes to make it as a professional.

"I just think every level you go, from college to the pros, everyone gets a little bigger, faster, stronger and more skilled. The margin of error is definitely way smaller. So if you're playing in a game and you've got your B-game, it's not going to get the job done. You've got to bring your A-game every day and just try to be consistent. That's the biggest thing I've learned."

Most goaltenders enjoy the minutiae of designing their masks. Ullmark has gone through three this season, first a design with bear claw scratches among the details, then his Winter Classic mask and currently one featuring his two corgis. For Bussi, it's no different, although it has become a very personal cause for the netminder.

Going back to his days at WMU and now in the pros, Bussi's masks have featured puzzle pieces, the common symbol for autism awareness and breaking the stigma associated with it.

"My younger brother, Dylan, has autism. He's 22 now," Bussi said of his mask. "It kind of started as something a little more personal to me, just something that meant a lot that's kind of gained some attention through media over the years. So it's kind of something where it's more that I express my story to people, and if it helps them relate in any way or make it a little easier, you know, I think I've done my job there. So, it's pretty subtle."

Even while riding the wave of the past year and acclimating to life as a professional goaltender, it's important to Bussi that he stays in touch with the rest of his family and Dylan, who is non-verbal. He savors every moment he can. 

"Absolutely. It was tough there for a little bit with COVID, with him living at a residence far away, in terms of seeing him," he said. "But absolutely, I'm able to stay in touch with him. He is non-verbal, which makes the communication aspect a little more difficult, but as a family, you find a way."

The Baby B's embark on their run in the Calder Cup Playoffs on Friday, April 28 against the Hartford Wolfpack, but for now, Bussi is the insurance policy for Ullmark and Swayman, who may start in Game 4 due to the cautiousness around Ullmark's status.

Other notes...

Krejci questionable; Swayman a possibility

Per Saturday's availability, David Krejci remains questionable after missing Game 3. The Bruins are also considering Swayman in net for Game 4. You can catch up on all of that, here.

Bergeron playing armchair coach

Boston was without Patrice Bergeron once again in Game 3. He will not play Game 4 after staying home in Boston, but Jim Montgomery said Friday the team believes Game 5 is a possibility for the captain's return. He confirmed on Saturday that it's still the plan.

Bergeron, never one to sit idly by, was apparently texting assistant coach Chris Kelly about X's and O's and what he was seeing during Friday's game.  

"You could tell that he was pretty pumped up of the way we were playing. That's the thing that was first and foremost that came up," Montgomery said Saturday. "You feel helpless. It's like the first time you retire, and you become a coach. You don't have any impact on the ice, so it's like, how do you help?

"1. He's an incredibly bright mind for the game. The stuff that he shared, whether it was stuff on neutral zone, O-zone or D-zone. It was poignant."

As for how Montgomery feels Bergeron would fair as a coach sometime down the line?

"Excellent. I don't want him ... I'm glad he's made a lot of money. Hopefully, he doesn't want to make any more."

Bergeron was around the team during the first two games at the Garden, giving advice and helping how he could. He was even in the coaches' office.

"It's gotta be tough for him [not playing]," Brad Marchand said. "He's a playoff player, and he thrives at this time of year. It's gotta be hard for him to have to watch and not be in the mix, but that's why he's such an incredible leader. No matter the position he's in, he's always trying to find a way to help and let guys use his experience to feel good about their game, want to be better and allow them to feel comfortable.

"That's part of what makes him an incredible leader, an incredible teammate and friend. Even when he's trying to get himself better, he's putting the team first and trying to make everyone more comfortable. So, looking forward to getting back to him soon. We're very fortunate to have a captain like him to lead the way, even when he's not here with us."

Hall starting to come alive

With two goals and an assist in his last two games, the dam may be starting to burst for Taylor Hall.

He scored in garbage time of the 6-3 loss in Game 2 before opening the scoring with a crucial goal off the rush early in Game 3. He later flashed his speed in transition before setting up Nick Foligno for the B's fourth goal on Friday.

"It's huge to get off to a good start. This was a pivotal game for us ... We have to play hard and get off to a good start, and it was nice to see that go in," Hall said postgame.

In Game 1, Hall's speed was a huge factor again as he broke free on a pair of 2-on-1's with Trent Frederic, opting to pass on both as Alex Lyon made a pair of strong saves on Frederic. There were more denials in Games 2 and 3. 

For the series, Boston is outscoring Florida 3-2 at 5-on-5 play. Shots have favored the Bruins, 16-11 (59.26 percent) at 5-on-5, and high-danger chances are 7-5. 

Hall found another level in Game 3. At 5-on-5, shot attempts favored the Bruins 12-5 (70.59 percent), shots were 5-1 (83.33) and goals were 2-0. In all situations, the Bruins had an 18-8 (69.23 percent) advantage in shot attempts, a 7-4 edge in actual shots and a 6-3 hold on scoring chances (4-2 high-danger). 

Hall's goal may have done nothing to change the outcome of Game 2, but after failing to break through earlier in the series, finding a way onto the scoresheet went a long way. Montgomery believes Hall's confidence with the puck has returned.

"I know it's a meaningless goal, but it's not a meaningless goal for him. When you're an offensive player, and one goes in, like you saw it [Friday]. He takes that shot, and he took it with authority," Montgomery said after Game 3. "You start to feel good, and he's an offensive juggernaut in this league."

Hall feels he's now fully back up to speed. 

"Those three games I played in the regular season were huge," he added. "I said it before, but they weren't great games by me, but I knew where I needed to improve and where I needed to help our team the most I can. Coming into the playoffs that was my goal ... wherever you're slotted on the depth chart, there's a goal in mind at the end of the road here. Everyone's bought in.

"To see a goal go in at the end of [Game 2] – it was a nothing goal – but it came from a pretty good O-zone shift and good positioning by all of us. To get rewarded in a small way was good. Maybe that led into tonight, I'm not really sure, but it was good to get off to a nice start as an individual. And as a team, I thought we were dialed in from the start."

Ekblad feeling better for Florida

Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad went right down the tunnel after a hard collision with Charlie McAvoy in the Bruins' zone during the second period. Ekblad, who has a history of head injuries, inadvertently crashed into McAvoy, holding his head as he was down on the ice. He returned for one shift, but did not come back out for the third. 

After Florida coach Paul Maurice said postgame they'll know more about Ekblad today. But on Saturday, the blue-liner was out for an optional practice in a regular jersey. 

"He came back in feeling much better today, and we'll need another day like that," Maurice told reporters. "It's that time of the series. Everybody's going to have some game-time decisions."

Maurice still confident in Lyon

The Panthers pulled Lyon for Sergei Bobrovsky after David Pastrnak streaked in behind the defense and beat Lyon low-glove to make it 3-0 for the Bruins. Lyon, who's started 11 straight games, finished with 23 stops on 26 shots. 

Lyon's Cinderella run may not be coming to an end just yet, though. Maurice said postgame that it wasn't an indictment on the journeyman.

"He's played heavy-pressure games, and a lot of them," Maurice told reporters. "At 3-0, in my mind, if we mount a comeback it's not because our goalie stands on his head. We've got to get some action going."

The Bruins have attacked Lyon's glove hand since Marchand beat him low to the glove in Game 1. Lyon got a piece of what was a clean shot off the rush, but he mostly missed the puck as it tumbled into the net. Marchand went back to the low glove with his shorthanded goal in Game 2, which was almost to the same spot. 

Hall beat Lyon high, glove side less than three minutes into Game 3 to help the Bruins seize momentum. The shot (which had a 0.01 expected goals rate, per Natural Stat Trick) was going wide, but Lyon missed underneath it, redirecting the puck into the net. Give Hall credit, it was a blistering wrist shot in transition, but it was another save Lyon should have had. 

Pastrnak's shot was perfectly between the glove and the pad. 

In relief, Bobrovsky stopped eight of nine shots. The man they call 'Bob' hadn't played since March 27 due to illness. Lyon's heroic run began in his absence. 

Maurice said it was a chance to spark the team and get Bobrovsky back into a game.

"I've got another goalie who's a really, really good goalie that hasn't played in a long time," he said. "There's a risk, right? You put in a guy that's been sitting for a while, but he needs a little bit of action. That's all that was. It was not a critique of Alex's game."