BOSTON — On the heels of a 3-2 loss, coach Jim Montgomery stood behind his alternative to begin Linus Ullmark over Jeremy Swayman in Recreation 2 of the Boston Bruins’ first-round Stanley Cup playoff collection in opposition to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday night time.
Ullmark, who completed with 30 stops, obtained 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 hold 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 might disclose data,” Montgomery stated earlier Monday. “In case you’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 improper. Ullmark is the NHL’s reigning Vezina Trophy winner, and each he and Swayman had sturdy stats within the common season. Swayman was 25-10-8 with a .916 SV% and a couple 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 file in opposition to Toronto within the common season. Ullmark was equally wonderful in Recreation 2 and gave Boston each probability to take a commanding 2-0 lead over Toronto within the collection.
The Bruins have 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 purpose 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 appeared more and more flat-footed, and Ullmark needed to execute two distinctive glove saves — one specifically in opposition to 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 present 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 collection turns now to Toronto with Recreation 3 set for Wednesday. Montgomery’s focus is not instantly on who will probably 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 sluggish in transition, which isn’t permitting us to own pucks and never permitting us to get in on the forecheck nicely sufficient. I did not suppose 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 seem within the collection. 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 collection tied 1-1, Recreation 3 is Wednesday in Toronto.
