Swayman Shuts Down Red Wings in 3-2 Win

BOSTON –– Jeremy Swayman looked down the Boston Bruins’ bench as Saturday’s shootout against the Detroit Red Wings ensued.​

His teammates knew nothing was going to get by the goaltender. Swayman’s confidence was infectious from across the ice.

​“It seemed like he was just like in the zone or a flow state or whatever he was in,” Mark Kastelic said. “He’s been huge for us in the shootouts this year, that’s for sure.”

Swayman made save after save through regulation, and had three more to give, securing the 3-2 win at TD Garden. He finished the night with a total of 24 stops.

​“I knew that it was going to be a big momentum win for us, so staying with that one-shot-at-a-time mentality, just focusing on that breakaway at hand,” Swayman said.

“Just excited to be part of it. I couldn’t be happier to be a Bruin, couldn’t be happier to be part of this team, playing in this league. That gratitude really overwhelms me. I like to play with that gratitude and that happiness. Good things happen.”

Swayman’s consistency has been central to the Bruins’ success despite battling through injuries for the majority of the season. Head coach Marco Sturm has not hesitated to turn to Swayman when a win is needed.​

“It’s huge. You guys feel it, the fans, everyone, upstairs, we feel it. And most importantly, our players feel it,” Sturm said. “It’s such a good feeling when you have that. All year long, since day one I met him, he’s been rock solid off the ice and on the ice.”

Swayman kept things scoreless in the first period before the Bruins broke through in the second, thanks to Morgan Geekie. The forward – who has six goals in the last five games – got in front of Detroit’s net and tipped in Elias Lindholm’s shot from the point for the 1-0 advantage at 4:25.

It was Geekie’s 19th goal of the year, and he soon potted his 20th following Lucas Raymond’s tally that knotted the game 1-1 at 6:38 of the final frame.

​Boston was put on the power play in the latter half of the third, and Geekie got open by the left circle. He one-timed Casey Mittelstadt’s pass past Red Wings goaltender Cam Talbot to make it 2-1 at 13:39, and hit the 20-goal mark for the second time in his career. Geekie is tied with Nathan MacKinnon for most goals in the NHL.

​“Just try to find the right spots,” Geekie said. “Both goals tonight don’t happen without [Lindholm] in the first one and [Mittelstadt] on the second. Just try to be in the right spots for those guys to see me, and hopefully, good things will happen. Lately, they’ve been finding me.”

Despite Geekie’s explosive production, Detroit forced overtime with a goal from Michael Rasmussen at 18:06 that tied things 2-2. That is when Swayman came in and shut the Red Wings down for the last time, earning Boston the full two points.​

“I think confidence is the biggest thing for a goalie,” Swayman said. “Just confidence – knowing that you are going to be square to the shot, reactionary and wherever it goes, you’ve got to be in front of it.”

​Pavel Zacha also returned to the lineup after being sidelined with an injury on Friday against the New York Rangers. He centered the second line between Mittelstadt and Marat Khusnutdinov and led the forwards with 19:53 of total ice time. Boston was still without David Pastrnak, but his teammates stepped up in his absence.​

“He wasn't out that long, but he wanted to help the team because he didn’t like the way we played yesterday, too. And he felt it,” Sturm said of Zacha. “That for me just shows the character we have in our room. When the older guys or the guys who have been around are doing it, I think it’s easier for young guys to follow.”​

The Bruins are back in action on Tuesday for a rematch with the Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena.