Why the Bruins gave Jeremy Swayman the nod for Game 1
The Bruins’ decision to roll with Jeremy Swayman for Game 1 went beyond the natural flow of a rotation that’s seen the Bruins alternate between Swayman and Linus Ullmark back and forth over 26 straight games dating back to Feb. 21.
The logic for that being the case was there, especially when you look at how it was Ullmark in net for Boston’s final game of the regular season. And, sure, maybe that played a small part in the B’s decision, which was made earlier in the week. But at the end of the day, this was about putting Swayman in the best possible spot (and a spot completely new to him at the same time, no less), according to Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery.
“We just felt that Swayman hadn’t had the opportunity to start a series before in the last couple of years,” Montgomery said following the Game 1 victory when asked what went into the previously-undisclosed plans to start Swayman. “And we wanted to see him start a series and see how he’d handle it, and he did really well.”
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Hit with 36 shots, the 25-year-old Swayman turned aside all but one shot thrown his way, while the Bruins jumped out to a four-goal lead before the Leafs’ David Kampf put Toronto on the board. This was one of those nights where Swayman had timely saves aplenty, too, with saves on 15 of 16 high-danger shots faced at all-situational play. NaturalStatTrick also had the Maple Leafs finishing Saturday’s loss with 4.54 expected goals to the one goal actually surrendered by Swayman.
This was about as strong a performance as a goalie could’ve had, all things considered.
“I thought his athleticism allowed him to make some really good, kind of bouncing puck rebound saves,” Montgomery offered. “Made a couple of point blank saves early in the first, and then I thought we got to our game. So it was really important he made those saves because I thought, you know, it finished 1-0, and I think we hit a crossbar and a post there.”
Swayman was dialed in from the jump, and even had a smile on his face during the anthems.
“Dream come true,” Swayman said of his feelings in the moment. “It’s such a privilege to play in this league and for this city and taking that first lap, hearing the fans and seeing the towels, it’s a pretty emotional feeling. You just understand how hard it is to get here and and what a great opportunity it was. I couldn’t couldn’t wipe that smile off my face the whole night. Pretty spectacular.”
As for what happens next, Montgomery was not willing to comment on his Game 2 starter just yet, but admitted that it would hard to go away from Swayman after his Game 1 performance.
3 Stars: Bruins wing Jake DeBrusk shines in Game 1 win
Third Star: Brandon Carlo
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – APRIL 20: Brandon Carlo #25 of the Boston Bruins skates by the bench to celebrate with his teammates after scoring a goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the second period in Game One of the First Round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden on April 20, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Brian Fluharty/Getty Images)
Bruins defensive-zone stalwart Brandon Carlo will tell you himself, defense is the name of his game. Any offense that comes out of that defense is just a bonus. But there’s something about the the sight of a Maple Leafs sweater that turns the 6-foot-5 blue liner into the Black and Gold’s modern day Bobby Orr.
Brandon Carlo hammers home Jake DeBrusk's feed from behind the net.
— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) April 21, 2024
2-0 Boston. pic.twitter.com/gBoNo2iUecOn the board with Boston’s second goal of the evening in what finished as a five-goal night for Boston, Carlo’s tally through Ilya Samsonov was his second goal and fourth point in five games against the Leafs this season.
Brandon Carlo against the Leafs this year (including playoffs): Two goals and four points in five games.
— Ty Anderson (@_TyAnderson) April 21, 2024
Brandon Carlo against everybody else this year: Three goals and 11 points in 72 games.The Bruins also gave Carlo and Hampus Lindholm the Auston Matthews assignment for the majority of the evening, and though Matthews got his looks and while the Bruins got some good looks, they were able to hold Matthews and his line off the board. Which is always a plus for any team going up against the 69-goal scorer.
Second Star: Jeremy Swayman
Jan 15, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (1) puts on his mask during the second period against the New Jersey Devils at TD Garden. (Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports)
The Bruins knew what they were going to do in goal for Game 1 long before Jeremy Swayman led the team out for pregame warmups at 7:36 p.m. on Saturday night. They just didn’t feel like telling any of us.
In fact, their non-answers on the subject hit a new height on Saturday morning, as Montgomery told the assembled media that the goalie who got the call in net for the Bruins in Game 1 would be wearing goalie pads.
Swayman indeed wore goalie pads, he indeed got the call in Game 1 (the first Game 1 appearance of his NHL career), and he absolutely dazzled in what was a 35-save victory in the Boston cage.
And though the Bruins gave Swayman some early support by way of Johnny Beecher’s goal on Boston’s first shot of the night, this was a game that required some big saves from Swayman early, as the Maple Leafs were able to generate some quality looks from the high-danger areas of the ice. Swayman was noticeably strong when it came to tracking the puck in this game, and came through with countless ‘good freezes’ to stall would-be momentum for Toronto.
Some of Swayman’s best work came during what was a successful 4-on-3 penalty kill for the Bruins, where the Bruins were forced to hold the Leafs at bay for a 1:50 stretch with both Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm in the box.
First Star: Jake DeBrusk
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – APRIL 20: Jake DeBrusk #74 of the Boston Bruins reacts after a goal was scored by teammate Brandon Carlo #25 (not in photo) during the second period against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game One of the First Round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden on April 20, 2024. (Brian Fluharty/Getty Images)
Hitting the old ‘restart’ button is nothing new for the Bruins’ Jake DeBrusk.
He’s been white hot. And he’s been ice cold. And after what was a definite cold spell to end his regular season, DeBrusk kicked his postseason off with a white-hot bang Saturday night, with two goals and an assist in the Game 1 victory.
The three-point outing was DeBrusk’s first night of at least three points since a four-point effort against the Sabres back on Mar. 19, 2023, and it was the first three-point game of DeBrusk’s playoff career.
DeBrusk: “I didn’t like my season. Pretty disappointed. But now we’re chasing the ultimate goal. I just think it’s a matter of playing the right way. This time of year is all about staying even keeled.”
— Ty Anderson (@_TyAnderson) April 21, 2024
He was asked about his goal this postseason: “To win.”‘Playoff Jake’ seems to be back in business for the Bruins, too, with eight goals and 13 points in his last 15 playoff games dating back to 2022. His 15 points are tied for the 40th-most among all playoff forwards over that stretch.
