Swayman Misses On Goalie Goal But Comes Up Clutch Like ‘Big Papi’

With time winding down and an empty net down ice in his team’s 4-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets, Boston Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman tried to pay homage to Boston Red Sox hall of famer David Ortiz again. Swayman swung for the fences and just missed becoming the first Bruins goalie to score a goal and the 13th NHL goalie to achieve the unique feat.

INCHES AWAY FROM A GOALIE GOAL BY JEREMY SWAYMAN pic.twitter.com/G9JNSqKsTk

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On Friday, Swayman and fellow Boston Bruins goalie Linus Ullmark revealed and wore their 2023 Winter Classic gear. With the Bruins hosting the Penguins Jan. 2 at Fenway Park, Swayman decided to pay homage to Red Sox legends Ortiz, Ted Williams, as well as former Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling.

“Ted, Papi, Schill…David Ortiz, just the impact that he had on the game and of course this city alone…to be able to put him on my mask and pay tribute is something special,” Jeremy Swayman told reporters on Friday. “All three of those guys did some incredible things for this city so it will be great to represent that on a unique stage.”

Swayman is still confident that he can eventually join some unique company of NHL goalies that have lit the lamp.

“Yeah, I was looking at it and I thought ‘OK’ this could be the one but unfortunately. …that’s not the last one I’ll try so. …” Jeremy Swayman told Adam Pellerin following the Bruins 24th win of the season.

“I wanna score so bad, man. It’ll happen,” Swayman added to the media later.

Home run goal or not, just like ‘Big Papi’, Jeremy Swayman was clutch for the Bruins on Saturday as he made 30 saves, and improved to 5-1 on TD Garden ice and 6-3-1 overall. For about the last three games, the Bruins have been sluggish, and basically just off their collective game. That was the case for multiple interludes of the game Saturday and Swayman was there when they needed him most.

“I thought he was our best player and he needed to be,” Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery said of Jeremy Swayman postgame. “Very confident. Very confident in his movements and again, I don’t know the position to be able to tell him selection saves and all that stuff; that’s ‘Goalie Bob’s [Bruins goalie coach Bob Essensa], but mentally when a goalie’s on top, he’s taking whistles at the right moments; tries to go for that empty-net goal, that’s a sign of someone, that I guess the game is going slow for him which is what you want mentally.”