Swayman got back on track in a big way
Boston Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman needed a bounce-back performance this past week after two straight losses and he certainly delivered.
And his stellar showings didn’t go unnoticed, either.
Swayman became the latest Bruins player to garner a league honor Monday as the 24-year-old was named the NHL Third Star of the Week.
Swayman backstopped Boston to two wins and did so in impressive fashion by recording shutouts against the Winnipeg Jets and the Buffalo Sabres. It was the first time since Tuukka Rask in 2011 that a Bruins netminder posted consecutive shutouts.
Swayman notched 36 saves against the Jets which matched a season-high for the third-year pro. He also turned aside 26 shots in a 7-0 drubbing over the Sabres on Sunday.
Even with Linus Ullmark shining bright in net this season — not just for stopping pucks but scoring goals, too — Swayman has stood out as well. In 30 games, he has a 2.20 goals-against average and a .920 save percentage, ranking him third and fourth in the league in those categories, respectively. He’s also tied for third in the NHL with four shutouts and owns an 18-6-4 record.
With Swayman and Ullmark having alternated starts over the past month, it’s likely Bruins coach Jim Montgomery will go with Ullmark between the pipes on Tuesday night when Boston hosts the Ottawa Senators. Puck drop from TD Garden is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET and you can watch the game, plus an hour of pregame coverage, on NESN.