PHILADELPHIA – Jeremy Swayman made 40 stops in an NHL debut to remember, as the Boston Bruins outscored the Philadelphia Flyers, 4-2, Tuesday night.
Swayman, 22, was called up Monday and became the fourth goalkeeper to play for the Bruins this season. While Boston may have high hopes for the former fourth-round pick, the Bruins probably didn’t expect it anytime soon. His presence was necessary after Jaroslav Halak tested positive for COVID-19 earlier in the week.
“What an amazing experience,” Swayman said. “Getting a win here in Philly means it all.”
The Flyers tested Swayman with 25 shots in the second period, including a Scott Laughton breakaway that stopped calmly. Swayman, a Hobey Baker finalist last season as the best college hockey player at the University of Maine, only had to make four stops in the third period.
“He deserved much better support than we gave him,” coach Bruce Cassidy said, “and he finally got it in the third.”
After his junior season with the Black Bears ended soon due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he chose to skip the final season and sign a three-year deal with the Bruins. The organization sees him, along with Dan Vladar, who is also active on the Bruins roster, because Tuukka Rask is still offside with an undisclosed upper body injury, as the team’s future in the net. Vladar made 29 saves for the Bruins against the Flyers on Monday.
“It’s a game. And it’s a game I love,” Swayman said. “And I enjoyed it every second.”
In his final season with the Black Bears, Swayman won 18-10-5 with an average of 2.07 goals against and a .939 savings percentage. He led Maine to an 18-11-5 final, good for fourth place in Hockey East.
Swayman’s effort put one or two starters away from Patrice Bergeron, who recorded a hat trick and hit 900 career points in the win. Brad Marchand added a short goal: the Bruins won for the second time in three games. Bergeron’s last account was left in an empty door.
Jakub Voracek and Shayne Gostisbehere scored for the Flyers, and teammate Carter Hart, who has been ineffective for more than a month, did not come out of his fall on goal, being overtaken by Swayman in the other side.
“It’s a tough loss,” said Oskar Lindblom, forward of the steering wheels, “but there are still a lot of points.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.