Ullmark starts over Swayman in Boston Bruins’ Game 2 loss

BOSTON — On the heels of a 3-2 loss, coach Jim Montgomery stood behind his selection to begin Linus Ullmark over Jeremy Swayman in Recreation 2 of the Boston Bruins’ first-round Stanley Cup playoff sequence towards the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday night time.

Ullmark, who completed with 30 stops, received the decision in internet even after Swayman was dominant making 35 saves for Boston in a 5-1 victory over the Leafs in Saturday’s Recreation 1.

“No second guesses,” Montgomery stated. “He was terrific. Made a number of big-time saves.”

Montgomery had flat-out refused to call a starter main as much as Monday’s sport whereas being peppered with questions on whether or not he’d maintain the Bruins’ established rotation alive. Boston had strictly alternated between Swayman and Ullmark since February; Monday was the twenty eighth straight sport they’d employed the identical tactic.

It simply wasn’t one thing Montgomery was keen to touch upon publicly, and the guessing sport continued proper till warmups of Recreation 2.

“I do not know why we’d expose data,” Montgomery stated earlier Monday. “If you happen to’re getting ready for a sport, there are components of a goaltender which are a part of your pre-scout. In order that’s a bonus for us, proper? If [they] do not know who’s beginning.”

In the long run, it was laborious for Montgomery to go incorrect. Ullmark is the NHL’s reigning Vezina Trophy winner, and each he and Swayman had robust stats within the common season. Swayman was 25-10-8 with a .916 SV% and a pair of.53 GAA, whereas Ullmark was 22-10-7 with 2.57 GAA.

Swayman had been an apparent option to faucet in Recreation 1 given his 3-0-0 document towards Toronto within the common season. Ullmark was equally glorious in Recreation 2 and gave Boston each probability to take a commanding 2-0 lead over Toronto within the sequence.

The Bruins had been in management early, taking a 2-1 over the Leafs after the primary interval with targets from Morgan Geekie and David Pastrnak. Boston would go down a defenseman within the second when Andrew Peeke exited, leaving the Bruins with a five-man rotation on the again finish. Montgomery had no replace on Peeke following the loss.

Toronto then tied the sport with an influence play objective from John Tavares within the center body to make it 2-2 heading into the third. The Leafs turned up the strain there whereas Boston seemed more and more flat-footed, and Ullmark needed to execute two distinctive glove saves — one particularly towards Nick Robertson — to maintain the rating knotted.

It took Auston Matthews, the NHL’s Rocket Richard Trophy winner with 69 targets within the common season, slipping behind Bruins’ defenseman Charlie McAvoy to lastly beat Ullmark with a breakaway strike to offer the Leafs a 3-2 benefit late within the third. It was the primary time Toronto had led Boston of their previous 5 conferences.

“There is a purpose he scored 69,” Ullmark stated of Matthews’ winner. “[I’ll] attempt to get him subsequent time.”

When that subsequent alternative comes for Ullmark, solely Montgomery is aware of for positive. The sequence turns now to Toronto with Recreation 3 set for Wednesday. Montgomery’s focus is not instantly on who can be within the crease, however on enhancing how the Bruins play in entrance of whoever earns the following begin.

“We’re not enjoying quick sufficient,” Montgomery stated. “We’re gradual in transition, which isn’t permitting us to own pucks and never permitting us to get in on the forecheck effectively sufficient. I did not assume our urgency was the place it wanted to be to prevail tonight.”

Maple Leafs ahead William Nylander missed Recreation 2 with an undisclosed harm and has but to look within the sequence. Whereas Toronto hasn’t revealed what Nylander is coping with, it is reported to have flared up for the winger someday after the regular-season finale final Wednesday.

With the sequence tied 1-1, Recreation 3 is Wednesday in Toronto.