BOSTON — As the camera panned around TD Garden during the Star Spangled Banner before Game 1 of the Bruins first-round playoff series with the Toronto Maple Leafs, it hovered for a moment on Jeremy Swayman.
Instead of having his head down like many of his teammates, Swayman, in a rare moment without a goalie mask on, was smiling. He looked up toward the championship banners above and into the balcony. Around him, the sold-out building was singing along to the anthem with Todd Angilly.
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Growing up, the Alaska-native dreamed of being an NHL goalie. As he surveyed the scene Saturday, he recognized he was living inside that moment he used to fantasize about — starting Game 1 of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
“Dream come true. It’s such a privilege to play in this league and for this city,” he said. “Taking that first lap, hearing the fans and seeing the towels (waving) is an emotional feeling. You just understand how hard it is to get here and what a great opportunity it was. I couldn’t wipe that smile off my face the whole night. It was pretty spectacular.”
While many athletes will deny even considering anything that distracts from their focus on the task in front of them, Swayman let it wash over him.
He admitted earlier in the season that he often takes in a moment and uses it. During one of the Centennial Celebration nights earlier in the season, the Bruins goalie watched the 1972 Stanley Cup championship team re-raise their banner as the crowd roaded approvingly and felt inspired.
“I’ve wanted to be that since I could walk. That’s a motivator I’ve always had,” Swayman said that night. “To etch history and to be at the level. It’s a huge motivator. I would love to be in their shoes someday doing the same thing.”
The 25-year-old took baby steps toward that goal on Saturday when Montgomery tabbed him to start Game 1. Naturally, Swayman’s dreams didn’t end at just getting the start in the playoffs but thriving once he did. So Swayman stuck to his old script in the Bruins’ 5-1 win.
He was outstanding from start to finish, making 35 saves including five on 69-goal scorer Auston Matthews. He made three big saves in the final minute of the first period and six more in the first 2:12 of the second when the Bruins were ahead by just a goal.
Swayman got away with his only real mistake when he strayed too far from his net when he unsuccessfully tried to beat Matthews to a loose puck. But Matthews’ hurried shot hit the side of the post.
Swayman gave up one goal early in the third, but it was 4-1 at that time. He made 11 more saves in the final period and he never let the Leafs get any momentum.
“I thought his athleticism allowed him to make a couple of really good bouncing puck rebound saves,” Mongtomery said. “He made a couple of point-blank saves in the first. Then I thought we got to our game, so it was really important that he made those saves.”
The Bruins coach said he hadn’t decided whether to stick with Swayman or keep the team’s effective goalie tandem going.
“It’s going to be hard to go away from Sway,” Montgomery said. “He played a terrific game.”
It was as hard to get Swayman to acknowledge how well he played as it was to score on him Saturday. He had just one takeaway as he smiled one more time..
“I’m just really happy with the result.”
Follow MassLive sports columnist Matt Vautour on Twitter at @MattVautour424.
