Jeremy Swayman Remains Undefeated At Home As Bruins Goaltender
By Michael Hurley, CBS Boston
BOSTON (CBS) -- Jeremy Swayman has started seven games in his young career on home ice. He's won seven times ... and he's allowed just eight goals.
That is a fairly decent start to a netminder's career at home.
The goaltender, now officially in his rookie season, backstopped the Bruins in a 3-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night. The win improved the Bruins to 6-4-0 on the season and helped alleviate some of the sting of Saturday's 5-2 loss in Toronto.
Swayman stopped 25 of 27 Ottawa shots, stopping three of four high danger shots and all three medium danger shots faced, per Natural Stat Trick. That included a stone-cold denial on a point-blank shot from Matthew Tkachuk in the third period, as well as five saves in the final 4:30 of regulation to secure the tight win.
Though he tied a career high for goals allowed on home ice with two, neither was the result of bad goaltending. The first came after some pinballing of the puck in close, and the second was a harmless shot from the half wall that was redirected on its way to the net.
It was just the third time in seven starts in Boston that Swayman allowed two goals, though his stats on home ice -- 7-0-0 record, .947 save percentage, 1.13 goals-against average, two shutouts, six even-strength goals allowed in seven games -- remain rather pristine.
Swayman wasn't aware of his perfection at TD Garden when asked about it postgame, but he was aware that he enjoys playing at home -- this year, with a full house cheering him on.
"I love playing at home," the 22-year-old Alaska native said. "Best arena in the NHL. It's the best atmosphere you can ask for. So it's fun coming home and winning in front of these fans."
