Bruins’ Jeremy Swayman ‘overwhelmed’ after crushing elimination vs. Panthers
The Boston Bruins are no longer in the Stanley Cup playoffs. They suffered a sad 2-1 loss to the Florida Panthers Friday night. Prior to Game 6, head coach Jim Montgomery voiced trust in goaltender Jeremy Swayman. However, Swayman’s performance was insufficient for Boston to force Game 7.
On Friday night, Swayman saved 26 of 28 shots. But a late third-period goal by Florida defenseman Gustav Forsling sank Boston. The Bruins have now lost two consecutive playoff games against the Panthers, dating back to last season. On Friday night, the Anchorage native spoke with the media about his sentiments after his team was eliminated.
“I’m just overwhelmed with emotions,” Swayman told NHL.com. “It’s not about me as an individual, it’s about our team, and to see it all end so abruptly is something you never want to feel, and I’m just so proud of everyone and being here and setting the foundation for what’s to come next.”
Bruins could not breakthrough Panthers.
Boston won the first game of the series, owing in part to Jeremy Swayman. The Panthers nearly had 40 shots on goal in the first game. But the Bruins’ puck-stopper did exactly that: stop pucks. Boston won Game 1 5-1, due to Swayman’s 38 saves.
However, they did nothing to capitalize on their first success. Florida won the following three games, including the third and fourth in Boston. The Bruins were suddenly forced to win the remaining games of the series. In Game 5, they won for the first time courtesy to another great performance from Swayman.
However, the Bruins’ goaltender couldn’t accomplish it all by himself. Boston was unable to score for the whole of this series. In fact, after their five-goal outburst in Game 1, they scored two or fewer goals in each subsequent game. As a result, Boston leaves far earlier than they had planned.
A must-see series.
Jeremy Swayman contributed to an exciting series of playoff hockey. Even the coaches agreed that the Panthers and Bruins played one of the most interesting games of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It’s probably no assistance to Boston, but they performed admirably against the fancied Panthers.
“This was an amazing series from behind the bench,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice remarked, per NHL.com. “It was dirty on both sides. The work was hefty, crisp, and occasionally beautifully skillful. It didn’t feel in control or methodical. Everyone had a plan, and they spent the remaining six games trying to punch each other in the face.”
The Bruins have work to do as the offseason begins. Boston’s postseason window is not technically closing, but they are not getting any younger. Captain Bradley Marchand, for example, is 35 years old. They’re likely to attempt again for the Stanley Cup. But generally, Boston has a lot to be pleased of in the 2023-24 season.
“It was an honor to coach them because of the hard work and competitiveness that they brought throughout the year,” Bruins coach Jim Montgomery told NHL.com. “That was the most important message I wanted to convey, because you’re never pleased if you don’t win your final game of the season. And some players have grown tremendously this year, which they should be pleased of, but in the end, we need to find methods to improve and win our final game of the year.
