Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery will make the most important decision of the 2024 season ahead of Game 6 when he decides who will start in net for the B’s. There’s only one answer.
2024 has been the season of Jeremy Swayman. The goaltender went 25-10-8, his best record as a pro. He also recorded a .916 save percentage and a 2.53 goals against average.
Swayman bested Linus Ullmark in the regular season, and that has continued in the postseason. Against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Alaskan native is 3-1 with a .952 save percentage and 1.49 goals against average. Ullmark has only appeared in one game and allowed three goals.
So just looking at the numbers it seems like an easy choice, the Bruins should start Swayman. He has been the better goaltender and Boston seems to play better when he is in the net.
But life can’t be that simple, can it?
Dating all the way back to January, Montgomery has stated that the Bruins would rotate goaltenders in the playoffs. It is what they did in 2023, so it’s not that surprising.
“Yes, I mean, there’s no reason. And I think, you know, you’ve got to learn from the past, too. Last year, I made a mistake by not doing that in the playoffs,” Montgomery told 98.5 the Sports Hub. “And I think that we, as an organization, evaluate everything. When you have two goaltenders and the demands of the playoffs are much more strenuous mentally than they are physically because you’re only playing every second day. It’s not like the regular season. However, the mental demands are significant. If you know you can have a day off to get a breather, reset, refocus, and bring your A-game again, I think it just behooves us to play to our strengths.”
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While Swayman got starts in Game 4 and 5, Montgomery pointed to extra days off as the reason behind departing from the rotation. With only a one-day break between Game 5 and 6, Ullmark seems to be in line for a start.
But now is the time for Swayman to take full claim of the No. 1 goaltender position in Boston. He has been the better goaltender and if the ship is going to go down it should be with Swayman as captain between the pipes.
The Bruins need to close out the series in Game 6. Anything can happen in a Game 7, and even at home, Boston could see its season come to a close.
So if Montgomery doesn’t want to find himself on the hot seat and taking an early vacation, he needs to start Swayman. He has been the best goaltender for the Bruins this season and deserves to be in between the pipes when it matters most.
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