The Boston Bruins were struggling greatly going into their game on Thursday.The group had let up 17 goals in their previous three games while suffering defeats. After allowing six of them, Jeremy Swayman was replaced by Linus Ullmark on Monday night following two goals from the Columbus Blue Jackets.
As much as Thursday night marked a chance for the team, as a whole, to bounce back, the opportunity especially rose for Swayman.
The 25-year-old got the start on Thursday after his benching and looked to sweep away a bad start to the week. He did not disappoint for Boston.
Swayman stopped all 26 shots he faced in a 3-0 victory over the San Jose Sharks, turning in an almost faultless performance. The goal was the goalie’s second shutout of the year.
Boston’s goaltender decided to turn the tide for the Bruins, a team that was in dire need of a win to turn the tide.
After the victory, Swayman told reporters, “It’s exactly what I wanted to do.” “Make sure I don’t let the puck enter the goal.” There’s still a lot to work on, though. I intend to utilize this as a driving force going ahead.
Jim Montgomery, the head coach of the Bruins, also praised Swayman.
I adore Jeremy’s response. It’s how I anticipated him to react,” Montgomery remarked following the victory. “He is a fighter. He is an opponent. You adore having him in the middle for that reason.
The team changed in a crucial second period, scoring two goals and controlling the shot differential, and the goalie saw it.
Swayman continued, “I think the second period was a big indicator of that.” “Attacking men. Maintaining deep possession of pucks. My job was made easy by defense, which boxed guys out and blocked shots. Staying true to who we are is what we do best. That will be important for us going ahead.
Swayman understands that the Bruins can learn from their losses and begin a fresh run of momentum with a victory to reset the group.
Swayman stated, “The only reason we could overcome it is because we went through it.” That will be important going forward. The guys taking the initiative to play Bruins hockey in front of our supporters made me very happy. We should keep going because it’s a positive step for us.
On Saturday, the Bruins will try to keep up their momentum when they play the Maple Leafs in Toronto. 7 p.m. ET is when the puck drops. NESN will broadcast the game along with an hour of pregame coverage.
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