Bruins Don’t Plan To Change Goalie Rotation Heading Into Postseason

The Boston Bruins have the unique luxury of having two starter-caliber netminders available every night of the regular season.

Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark have shared netminding duties in Boston for the past two seasons.

In the 2022-23 season, Ullmark posted a .938 save percentage and 1.89 goals-against average with a 40-6-1 record over 48 starts compared to Swayman’s .920 save percentage and a 2.27 goals-against average with a 24-6-4 record in 33 starts.

Even with the tandem playing as well as they did during the Bruins’ historic 65-win record-setting season, head coach Jim Montgomery opted to stray from the successful recipe and go with Ullmark as the traditional No. 1 goalie when the postseason started.

While Boston won’t reach the historical plateau for the second straight season, the goaltending tandem has once again been a key factor in the team’s success.

Swayman has a 24-8-8 overall record with a .916 save percentage and 2.56 goals-against average compared to Ullmark’s .917 save percentage and 2.57 goals-against average with a 20-9-7 record.

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Since the NHL Trade Deadline on March 8, Ullmark has gone 4-2-0 with a 1.51 goals-against average and .950 save percentage. Swayman has gone 3-2-0 in his last five starts with a 3.38 goals-against average and a .858 save percentage.

Both netminders have won important games on the road for Boston with Swayman earning the victories against the Florida Panthers and Washington Capitals last week and Ullmark shutting out the Nashville Predators on Tuesday night.

Will Montgomery choose to use the hot goalie down the stretch and into the playoffs or continue with the rotation in the final six games?

“No, not right now,” Montgomery told reporters prior to the Bruins’ matchup with the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday, per the team. “We’re just going to keep going the way it is and I’m very comfortable with the rotation, even going into the playoffs. Very comfortable with the rotation.”

With the Bruins’ schedule laid out for the final six games, Montgomery said if he wanted to change the rotation to see one goalie against a certain opponent, it could be managed properly.

“Our schedule actually right now, if we want to go with one (goalie) right now and ride one (goalie), it’s pretty favorable because we’re (playing) every other day,” Montgomery explained. “Then we’re going to have three days off and then we’re going to have four days off.”

The second-year coach added the Bruins’ goalie tandem is “the biggest position of strength” in Boston.

Swayman will get the start against the Hurricanes to end the six-game road trip but said he could tweak the rotation to have Ullmark backstop Boston when the Hurricanes come to TD Garden on April 9 so the coaching staff can see both goaltenders against a potential playoff opponent.