Anchorage’s Jeremy Sayman. Photo courtesy Boston Bruins
Granted, tiny sample size (two games), but Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman of Anchorage woke up Thursday as the NHL playoff leader in goals-against average (1.51) and save percentage (.955), and tied for the lead in wins (2).
Swayman, who has owned the Toronto Maple Leafs this season, stopped 28 shots Wednesday night to lift the Bruins to a 4-2 win in Toronto and a 2-1 edge in the best-of-7, first-round Stanley Cup series.
Wednesday’s gem came after Swayman made 35 saves, his playoff career high, in Saturday’s 5-1 home win in the series opener.
Toronto’s attack in Game 1 generated 4.54 expected goals and in Game 2 3.07 expected goals, according to naturalstattrick.com. But against that combined 7.61 expected goals on Swayman, he has permitted just three.
That’s par for the course for Swayman against the Maple Leafs this season. In five combined games – three in the regular season, two in the postseason – he has gone 5-0-0, 1.38, .957.
Wednesday’s win vaulted Swayman over the .500 mark in his playoff career. He’s 5-4-0, 2.49, .915 all-time.
The Bruins through three playoff games have stuck with the rotation they have used the last two regular seasons – alternating starts between Swayman and reigning Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark. Ullmark made 31 saves in Boston’s 3-2 loss in Game 2, when expected goals against him were 3.23, according to naturalstattrick.com.
Meanwhile, in the U.S. Hockey League, Fargo Force left wing Mac Swanson of Anchorage on Wednesday helped deliver a sweep of the Tri-City Storm by furnishing the primary assist on his team’s last three goals in a 5-3 road win. Swanson scored at least two points in all three games of the best-of-5 series.
With 1-6—7 totals in three games, he is tied for the lead league in points and assists, even though the players he is tied with in those categories have played at least six games – Fargo, the regular-season champ, enjoyed a first-round bye. In two postseasons with Fargo, the North Dakota-bound Swanson owns 4-13—17 totals in 12 games.
Fargo will face the Sioux City Musketeers, who include Vermont-bound forward Colin Kessler of Anchorage, in the best-of-5 Western Conference Finals.
In the Southern Professional Hockey League, winger Cayden Cahill of Anchorage and the Peoria Rivermen open the best-of-3 President’s Cup Final on the road Thursday night against the Huntsville Havoc. Game 2 is Saturday night in Peoria, with Game 3, if necessary, in Peoria on Sunday.