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Bruins’ Jeremy Swayman drops truth bomb on not starting Game 2 after huge win

Originally posted on ClutchPoints | By Colin Gallant | Last updated 4/25/24

Although the Boston Bruins went away from Jeremy Swayman for Game 2 of their Eastern Conference first-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs — and lost it — the star goaltender came through again for his team in a massive Game 3 victory at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday night.

Swayman was excellent again against Toronto, allowing two goals on just 30 shots to backstop the Bruins to a 4-2 win and help the team reclaim home-ice advantage in the best-of-7 series.

After the game, the 25-year-old admitted he wasn’t expecting he would get the nod in Game 2 despite allowing just one goal against in a convincing 5-1, Game 1 triumph.

“Never. I’m never going to expect anything, I’m going to earn it. That’s all I care about,” the young netminder explained to reporters when asked if he feels he should have gotten a second straight start — something that hasn’t happened in months.

“Any time I get a chance to play, I’m going to do whatever I can to help this team win. Whether it’s back-to-back to every other game, I’m just really grateful every time I do get a chance, and that’s all I worry about.”

"Never. I'm never going to expect anything, I'm going to earn it. That's all I care about."

Jeremy Swayman when asked if he feels he did enough to earn a second straight start following the Bruins 4-2 win over the Maple Leafs. pic.twitter.com/B8AHgTING7

— NESN (@NESN) April 25, 2024

Whether or not Swayman did enough to earn a back-to-back start this time around is yet unknown, but the decision will certainly give head coach Jim Montgomery and the coaching staff some pause.

Regardless, it was a critical win for a Bruins team that has dropped just one game to the Leafs in seven tries in 2023-24, and have an opportunity to take a stranglehold on the series in Game 4 on Saturday night.

Jeremy Swayman holds down the fort; Brad Marchand leads offensively

Boston Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark (right) congratulates goaltender Jeremy Swayman (1) on a win over the Toronto Maple Leafs in game three of the first round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena. John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

Swayman was a rock between the pipes, making a couple of great saves throughout the night and keeping Auston Matthews off the scoresheet — not an easy thing to do against a 69-goal regular-season scorer.

But although the Leafs’ best players were better in Game 2 at TD Garden, it was captain Brad Marchand who came through in the third period in Canada to secure the victory for the Bruins.

The Stanley Cup champion scored the go-ahead goal to break a 2-2 tie with less than 10 minutes left in the third period, and added an empty netter in the final minute.

“We stuck with it all game,” the captain said afterwards, per NHL.com’s Dave McCarthy. “It wasn’t always pretty, and I said it the other day, they’re coming very hard, they’re playing very physical, but I thought we elevated to another level from where we had been at the first couple of games, and it was great. It paid off.”

Marchand’s two tallies were the difference in Game 2, and give him 55 career playoff goals — tied for the most in Bruins history with Cam Neely, per McCarthy. His 134 postseason points are also just 27 back of franchise leader Ray Bourque (161).

Marchand and Swayman were the catalysts on Wednesday night, and Boston is back on top as they look to beat Toronto in a first-round series for the fourth straight time dating back to 2013.

It’ll be intriguing to see who is between the pipes for the B’s at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday.

This article first appeared on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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