Swayman displays on 'emotional' return to Bruins lineup in first win

Swayman reflects on ’emotional’ return to Bruins lineup in first win initially appeared on NBC Sports Boston

BOSTON — Bruins followers are very excited that Jeremy Swayman goes to be the workforce’s No. 1 goalie for the subsequent eight years.

That was evident earlier than puck drop Thursday evening when he was the primary participant to take the ice throughout pregame introductions for the house opener. He acquired a loud ovation from the TD Backyard crowd, after which helped the Bruins beat the rival Montreal Canadiens 6-4 for their first win of the 2024-25 season.

“It was fairly emotional, that heat welcome,” Swayman mentioned within the locker room postgame. “It simply exhibits what sort of fanbase we’ve right here, realizing it is greater than a participant, it is a human being they care about. I bought fairly emotional stepping on the ice and listening to that roar once more.

“I am so grateful to be part of this metropolis, part of this workforce. It is moments like that that make the whole lot value it.”

Swayman and the Bruins ended their prolonged contract stalemate final weekend when the 2 sides got here to phrases on an eight-year, $66 million deal. It made Swayman the fourth-highest paid goalie within the NHL. If the Bruins are going to win the Stanley Cup anytime quickly, he’ll must be a central determine in that success.

After not taking part in in Tuesday’s season-opening loss to the Florida Panthers, Swayman made his much-anticipated return to the Bruins web versus the Canadiens.

Swayman made 21 saves on 25 pictures for a .847 save proportion. These numbers do not soar off the web page, however head coach Jim Montgomery preferred what he noticed from his No. 1 goalie’s first begin. What he did not like was a few of the play in entrance of his netminder. For the second straight sport, the Bruins had a number of defensive breakdowns round their web, which put the goaltender in a troublesome spot.

“We gotta clear issues up,” Montgomery mentioned. “We gave up two faceoff targets. We had 4 icings tonight that I did not like, perhaps 5 with the final one. Two ended up inflicting targets and two ended up giving them an influence play. That is the a part of the sport administration half we must be higher at.

“Jeremy Swayman was good. He made the saves that he might. Once more, there’s backdoor tap-ins as a result of our protection is not stable but.”

The win is an important consequence, and Swayman has earned fairly just a few of them since making his debut within the 2020-21 marketing campaign. The truth is, Thursday’s victory was the eightieth of his profession, making him the second-fastest (130 video games) American-born goaltender to reach that milestone, trailing solely Frank Brimsek (123 video games).

Swayman has a fantastic alternative to climb up the wins leaderboard this yr now that Linus Ullmark is not a part of the Bruins’ goalie tandem. It is Swayman and Joonas Korpisalo, and the College of Maine product might doubtlessly begin 50-plus video games in a season for the time in his profession. How he handles an elevated workload may have a huge effect on the workforce’s success in each the common season and playoffs.

He is prepared for the problem.

“I feel I bought a fairly good system for the way I put together and play at my finest. That is the expertise I’ve gained the final 4 years is perfecting my craft and my restoration, and my warmups and the whole lot I have to do to organize,” Swayman mentioned.

“I am excited for it. It is one thing you gotta earn each evening. I do know it is a robust lineup to crack. We would like it that manner. (Korpisalo) and I are going to do the whole lot we will to push one another and elevate our video games, and do no matter we will to assist the Bruins win hockey video games.”