Jeremy Swayman Embodies Bruins Resurgence In Needed Win

BOSTON — The Boston Bruins had been scuffling in a big way entering Thursday’s game.

The team had lost three straight games while allowing 17 goals in that stretch. Jeremy Swayman allowed six of them and was pulled for Linus Ullmark after the Columbus Blue Jackets scored two goals on Monday.

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 compiled a virtually flawless performance against the San Jose Sharks, stopping all 26 shots against him in a 3-0 win. The victory marked the netminder’s second shutout of the season.

For a team that desperately needed a victory to settle the tides, Boston’s goaltender took it upon himself to flip the script for the Bruins.

“It’s exactly what I wanted to do,” Swayman told reporters after the win. “Make sure I keep the puck out of the net. At the same time, plenty to work on still. I want to use this as a momentum piece moving forward.”

Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery also commended Swayman.

“Love the way Jeremy responded. It’s the way I expected him to respond,” Montgomery said after the win. “He’s a battler. He’s a competitor. That’s why you love having him between the pipes.”

The goaltender saw a shift in his team in an important second period, regaining their physicality while scoring two goals and dominating the shot margin.

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“I think the second period was a big indicator of that,” Swayman added. “Hitting guys. Keeping pucks deep in possession. Defense was blocking shots and boxing guys out, making my job easy. That’s what we do best is stick to our identity. That’s big for us moving forward.”

With a win to reset the group, Swayman knows that the Bruins can grow from the losses to start a new run of momentum.

“The only reason we could overcome it is because we went through it,” Swayman said. “That’s a big piece for us moving forward. I was so happy to see the guys take an initiative and play Bruins hockey in front of our fans. It’s a good step for us and it’s our job to continue it.”

The Bruins look to continue momentum in Toronto on Saturday against the Maple Leafs. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET. You can catch the game, plus an hour of pregame coverage, on NESN.