Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (1) deflects a shot during the second period of Game 1 of the second-round series of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Florida Panthers, Monday, May 6, 2024, in Sunrise, Fla.
The sold-out crowd in Florida roared with energy during the national anthem, singing loudly and occasionally shouting. The atmosphere in the arena was electric.
Boston goalie Jeremy Swayman gazed around at the fervent fans during the anthem, wearing a confident expression. It seemed as though he knew he would silence them for much of the evening ahead.
And indeed, that's precisely what he accomplished.
Swayman's outstanding postseason performance continued as he thwarted 38 shots, while Brandon Carlo netted a goal just hours after welcoming his son into the world. The Bruins secured a commanding 5-1 victory over the Panthers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series on Monday night.
"I was incredibly impressed by our resilience," Swayman remarked. "The physicality, the mental strength—everything was exemplary, and I'm eagerly anticipating what lies ahead."
Morgan Geekie, Mason Lohrei, Justin Brazeau, and Jake DeBrusk also contributed goals for Boston, extending their undefeated record against the Panthers to 5-0-0 this season. Pavel Zacha provided two assists for the Bruins, who rallied with three goals in the final 7:08 of the second period to erase a 1-0 deficit and seize control.
Swayman has guarded the net for all five of Boston's playoff victories thus far, showcasing stellar performance, reminiscent of his standout displays against Toronto in the first round. He thwarted all seven shots faced during Florida's three power plays, maintaining the most impressive statistics among all goaltenders in the playoffs.
Through seven playoff appearances, Swayman leads the league with 210 saves and boasts an outstanding goals-against average of 1.42.
"We made several mistakes," commented Bruins coach Jim Montgomery. "Without Jeremy Swayman, the game would have been much tighter, and perhaps the outcome would have been different."
Matthew Tkachuk scored the lone goal for Florida, a team that has historically struggled to rally from a 1-0 series deficit. Sergei Bobrovsky made 24 saves for the Panthers, who returned to action after a week-long break.
Game 2 is scheduled for Wednesday night in Sunrise.
"I'm dissatisfied with our performance," admitted Panthers coach Paul Maurice. "But I believe we can rectify many of the issues we encountered."
This game marked the first decisive victory in the five matchups between the top two teams in the Atlantic Division this season—Florida, with 110 points, and Boston, with 109. While Boston narrowly won all their regular-season encounters, this contest showcased a clear dominance once the Bruins gained the lead, with the team defensively locking down.
"We made some errors and perhaps lacked the necessary intensity tonight," Tkachuk acknowledged. "And they capitalized on it."
After Tkachuk's initial goal, Boston swiftly responded, with Geekie finding the net just 67 seconds later. Lohrei extended the lead 3:25 after that, securing his first playoff goal.
Carlo's goal in the final seconds of the second period capped off a remarkable day for him, having just welcomed his son earlier. He arrived at the arena separately from his teammates but made an immediate impact on the game.
"I was eager to play," Carlo expressed. "And I'm thrilled that I did."
Brazeau's goal further solidified Boston's lead, and DeBrusk's empty-netter sealed the victory with just over two minutes left in the game.
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