There was a moment in the third period of the Boston Bruins’ 5-1 Game 1 win at Florida on Monday night when Bruins masked man Jeremy Swayman of Anchorage was splayed on his stomach during a cluster in his crease – “It’s a mosh pit!” said ESPN announcer Bob Wischusen – before he located the puck and covered it with his right hand to get a whistle.
Swayman and teammate Trent Frederic were sprawled belly-down, face-to-face. Swayman looked at Frederic and laughed – cackled, really, by the looks of it.
And so it goes for the 25-year-old, who looks like he’s savoring the time of his life.
Second-round, NHL Stanley Cup opener on the road, just 48 hours after eliminating Toronto with an overtime victory in Game 7? Hey, no pressure.
Sixth consecutive playoff start after spending the entire regular season alternating starts with reigning Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark? No worries.
“We contemplated going with Ullmark, because we have so much confidence in him, too,’’ Bruins coach Jim Montgomery told reporters. “But when a guy is playing that well, it’s like, ‘Don’t outsmart yourself.’ ”
Swayman stopped a playoff career-high 38 shots Monday to further pump up his already ridiculous postseason stats. His seventh consecutive start surrendering two goals or less ties him for the fourth-longest such streak in Stanley Cup history. His 12.1 goals saved above expected in these playoffs tops all goaltenders, according to Sportlogiq. His 2.88 goals saved above expected Monday marked the second-best performance by any goalie in these playoffs, according to Sportlogiq, surpassed only by his 3.35 in a Game 1 win over Toronto in the opening round.
Oh, and Swayman’s 1.42 goals-against average and .955 save percentage in these playoffs top all goalies who have played at least three games.
Florida bum-rushed Boston to start Game 1, but Swayman flashed his right pad to snuff Anton Lundell’s rebound bid. Early in the second period, he ranged to the top of his crease to smother Gustav Forsling’s slapper off the rush. Even the second-period goal Swayman surrendered to Matthew Tkachuk for a 1-0 Florida lead came with a caveat – Tkachuk’s shot nicked a Boston defenseman before getting past Swayman. Boston’s Morgan Geekie authored the equalizer just 67 seconds later and the Bruins never looked back.
Swayman through seven playoff games has yet to permit even a remotely soft goal, let alone a groaner. He has only permitted 10 goals all together.
The Panthers are explosive, so it wouldn’t be shocking if Swayman’s streak of games surrendering two goals or less gets halted.
But, hey, but stunning streaks happen.
Who had Patrick Roy winning 10 straight overtime games while backstopping Montreal to the 1993 Stanley Cup?