Will the Boston Bruins stick to their goalie rotation despite Jeremy Swayman improving to 2-0 with a 30-save performance in their 4-2 Game 3 win?
For once, the goalie rotation wasn’t the main topic surrounding the Boston Bruins heading into Game 3 in Toronto on Wednesday, as it was Swayman’s turn. Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery was actually spared having to answer a direct question about his Game 4 starter on Thursday as well. However, following practice in Toronto on Friday, he wasn’t so lucky. As he has throughout this Eastern Conference quarterfinal series with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montgomery was coy with his reply.
“We’re following the plan that we had set in place,” Montgomery replied when asked if he was sticking to the rotation.
Jeremy Swayman, who has now stopped 63 of the 66 shots he faced for a .955 save percentage through two starts in the series, was asked after Game 3 about the potential of the goalie rotation continuing for Game 4 on Saturday night and let his true feelings be known.
“I think for me, personally, I don’t want rest,” Swayman said after helping his team kill off five power plays for the Maple Leafs in Game 3. “I just want to keep playing. I think no matter when I get the call, whether it’s back-to-back or every other game, I want to make sure my body’s ready and I’m ready to perform at my best.
Swayman is now 6-0-0 against the Maple Leafs, dating back to last season.
Linus Ullmark, meanwhile, wasn’t too shabby in the 3-2 loss for the Boston Bruins in Game 4. The 2023 Vezina Trophy winner made 31 saves in that loss and was by no means the reason the Maple Leafs were able to tie the series at a game a piece last Monday.
The read here is that Montgomery will start Swayman for a second straight game, given he had two full days of rest between games, and technically, that’s what he would get in a strict, every-other-game rotation.
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