BOSTON — Jeremy Swayman was stuck on career win No. 99 for the last seven games he started. And while it was an uphill climb to get there, the goalie reached the milestone Saturday in the Bruins’ 5-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes.
“Never thought that was possible as a little kid growing up‚” a smiling Swayman said. “It’s a huge testament to this group that I’ve been apart of for five years now. The guys I play with are like brothers to me, and I could not have done it without them and this city and of course my family.”
It’s been a trying year for Swayman, who made his fourth straight start on Saturday. He missed all of training camp and the preseason while the two sides worked out a contract extension. And he faced his worst stretch of the season in an 0-7-0 stretch that dated back to March 11.
“It’s a gratifying feeling to go through it and get out of it and feel good about our game,” Swayman said.
But the last three games Swayman began to show steady improvement. He looked more confident between the pipes and made timely saves and big stops — two things he struggled with during his tough stretch.
“There’s no question Sway was outstanding tonight,” coach Joe Sacco said. “I think everybody wants to feel better about themselves as we head down the stretch and into the offseason. ”But he’s played well the last few games. He’s really starting to get into a rhythm.”
Swayman’s down year wasn’t due to lack of preparation. Sacco noted the goalie’s effort was always there regardless of where the team was in the standings.
Nothing was going right for the Bruins during their 10-game losing streak that was snapped Saturday night at TD Garden. But they looked like a different team against the Hurricanes from top to bottom, and Swayman was a huge part of the win.
And while the Bruins were officially eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the TD Garden crowd was the loudest it had been in a while.
“That’s a feeling that we’ve missed,” Swayman said of the crowd. “And it’s addicting so we’re not going to let that happen again.”
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