Ullmark to start in net against Predators

Phil Housley knows the Nashville Predators well, having served as an assistant coach with the organization for the past four seasons prior to joining the Buffalo Sabres during the summer. That means he knows exactly what type of challenge his team is in for on Monday, particularly goaltender Linus Ullmark.
Ullmark will make his second start of the season when the Sabres host the Predators, who enter the contest with a 13-0-1 record in their last 14 games and sit atop the NHL with 102 points.
"I think it's going to be great for him," Housley said. "We knew we were going to get him some games down the stretch. What better game to get a challenge than Nashville? I thought he did a terrific job the first time he stepped in against a good Columbus team.
"… He's got to get comfortable, play his game, just be in control of his own game and we'll see where it takes us."

Ullmark made 44 saves while allowing just one goal against the Blue Jackets on Jan. 11, his lone NHL start this season. He went 20-11-4 with a .923 save percentage in 42 games for Rochester, earning AHL All-Star honors for the second-straight season.
As good as his last start may have been, Ullmark believes he has more to prove.
"You can't just go back and think I'm going to be a superstar," he said. "It's just one game. It'll be humbling to be] in front of the other team. There's a reason they're at the top of the standings and clinched a playoff spot already."
The Predators allow a league-low 2.4 goals per game, and Housley said they're even better than the team he helped guide to the Stanley Cup Final a year ago. Nashville signed Nick Bonino from Pittsburgh during the offseason and acquired Kyle Turris from Ottawa in November, shoring up their depth down the middle.
Goaltender Pekka Rinne, a potential candidate to win the Vezina Trophy, is on a personal 10-game win streak and has a 1.98 goals-against average in his last 22 games.
Housley **[admitted on Sunday** that it would be an emotional game for him, which he reiterated when speaking prior to the game.
"It's just different," he said. "It's awkward because I spent a lot of time with a lot of those guys over on the other side of the fence. Obviously to see where they're at right now, they're playing terrific hockey from goaltending out, especially their defense.
"It really joins the rush, creates a lot of offense back there, but in saying that they defend really well. They come back and pressure the puck. When you have talent and work ethic it's a dangerous combination, but I look at it as a great challenge for our team."

The Sabres are looking for their second win in a row, coming off a 5-3 victory at home against Chicago on Saturday. Kyle Okposo will return after missing the past three games with a concussion, while Casey Nelson is expected to return from a one-game absence on defense.
Chad Johnson will serve as Ullmark's backup in net. Robin Lehner did not skate on Monday morning and is considered day-to-day.
Coverage on MSG-B begins at 6:30 p.m. with the GMC Game Night Pregame Show, or you can listen live on WGR 550. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Projected lineup

20 Scott Wilson - 90 Ryan O'Reilly - 23 Sam Reinhart
67 Benoit Pouliot - 15 Jack Eichel - 29 Jason Pominville
95 Justin Bailey - 71 Evan Rodrigues - 13 Nicholas Baptiste
17 Jordan Nolan - 22 Johan Larsson - 21 Kyle Okposo
6 Marco Scandella - 55 Rasmus Ristolainen
45 Brendan Guhle - 41 Justin Falk
82 Nathan Beaulieu - 8 Casey Nelson
35 Linus Ullmark
31 Chad Johnson