Tonight, one of the better goalie tandems in recent history is reuniting. Only they will be on opposite ends of the ice.
In 2023, Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark helped the Boston Bruins make history, completing the season with an all-time league record of 65 wins.
Last year, they once again led their team to the playoffs before making a second-round exit to the Cup Champions in the Florida Panthers.
The two have not only found success sharing a crease over the past three years but also a friendship that sent fans into a frenzy.
Their iconic “goalie hugs” gained millions of social impressions and had fans talking about what might have been the most wholesome friendship in the league.
However, the Bruins left “Sway-mark” fans in shambles at the end of the 2023-2024 season when Ullmark was dealt to the Ottawa Senators after the Bruins’ second-round exit.
As a Bruins fan from Ottawa, this was the best-case scenario.
It was clear that the Bruins weren’t going to be able to keep the tandem together forever, so at least Ullmark landed with a team that he will have fun with, and make a positive impact on.
It was no secret that the Ottawa Senators needed stronger goaltending, and Ullmark has already proven that he can be the guy to steal a few games for them. Making that clear in his first game with the club, getting revenge against a Panthers team he knew all too well.
Now he will have to find that same revenge against another team he is all too familiar with.
The Senators and Bruins are both sitting middle-to-bottom of the pack, only three points apart in the standings (the Bruins have played 15 games, whereas the Senators have played 12).
Both teams just seem to be missing a few parts in their game. The Bruins are struggling to find a cohesive playing style after losing many of their key players in the off-season, and the Senators are still struggling to get past their young inexperience.
The two squads have faced their own struggles on the blue line, with the Bruins’ defensive core being a shell of what it once was, and the Senators never quite building theirs to its full potential.
On the offensive side, it will be Tim Stützle and David Pastrnak matching up as the highest contributors. But the Marquee Match-up for this one has to be between the pipes.
Heading into this game, the goalie match-up is looking pretty even.
Swayman has a 3.14 GAA and a .894 save percentage. Ullmark has a slightly better 3.02 GAA but a .891 save percentage.
Swayman leads in the win column with a 4-5-1-1 record, while Ullmark sits at 2-4-0 after making only seven starts to begin this 2024-2025 season.
With two teams who are looking to get back in the groove, both sides will be looking for their goalie to save them this one.
Swayman and the Bruins have the home-ice advantage in this matchup at TD Garden, but something tells me Ullmark will feel right at home there.
Season 4. Episode 39. The Off Season – Bruins Benders Podcast
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