Bruins Postgame: Swayman, Bruins Dominate Leafs 5-1 in Game 1

Boston Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman got the Game 1 start and didn’t disappoint, making 35 saves in a 5-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk scored two powerplay goals, and Brandon Carlo, John Beecher, and Trent Frederic all lit the lamp for the Bruins. Bruins captain Brad Marchand and alternate captain Charlie McAvoy each had two assists.

Here’s your Boston Hockey Now Bruins Postgame:

CLUTCH: The biggest questions heading into this first-round playoff series were who would start Game 1 for the Bruins and whether they would still go with a strict goalie rotation throughout the series. Well, the latter will be answered on Monday in Game 2, but the former was answered with an exclamation point in Game 1. Jeremy Swayman led the Bruins out for warmups and then for the start of Game 1 and was absolutely brilliant. Swayman made 35 saves and didn’t allow a goal until Leafs forward David Kampf beat him 1:39 into the third period. Swayman still turned away 11 shots in the final frame as the Leafs made a push and out-shot the Bruins 12-3 in the final frame.

Jeremy Swayman showing everybody EXACTLY why he was the goalie for the Bruins for Game 1#NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/X4uvke1wi5

— The Hockey Writers (@TheHockeyWriter) April 21, 2024

Honorable mention: There’s something about playing the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk. The potential 2024 unrestricted free agent has played solid two-way hockey this season but has struggled offensively. DeBrusk scored just 19 goals and had 21 assists in 80 regular season games and had just one goal in his last 11 games of the season. Well, looking across at that Maple Leafs uniform woke up DeBrusk again as he scored two power-play goals and assisted on Brandon Carlo’s even-strength goal that put the Bruins up 2-0 5:47 into the second period. DeBrusk now has six goals and four assists in 15 Stanley Cup Playoff games against the Bruins’ Orginal 6 rival.

JAKE DEBRUSK HAS HIS SECOND OF THE GAME 🥵 pic.twitter.com/iYkJLcIxlI

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 21, 2024

DOGHOUSE: Make no mistake, the TD Garden faithful played a pivotal role in the Bruins being ready to go from the opening faceoff and keeping it going for the vast majority of the game. The players clearly fed off their fans, and those in attendance deserve tons of credit. That being said, can we do away with the moronic ‘USA! USA!’ chants at an NHL game when the home team is a US-based team, and the visitors are based in Canada. The NHL is an international game and that’s what makes it such a great pro sports league! There are eight Canadians and 13 players not from the USA on the current Bruins roster so that chant makes absolutely no sense and is embarrassing to Bruins fans and the city of Boston. Be better!

Really #NHLBruins fans? USA chant?

Check your roster.

8 Canadians and 13 players not from the USA.

Be better because you are. @BOSHockeyNow

— Jimmy Murphy (@MurphysLaw74) April 21, 2024

BANGER: As expected, this was a very physical game, with each team registering 50 hits apiece. Maple Leafs defenseman Simon Benoit led all skaters with eight hits a piece, and new Bruins winger Pat Maroon led the Bruins with six hits. Including Maroon, four Bruins had five hits.

UNSUNG HERO: As pointed out here at BHN on Thursday, Boston Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo could be a huge x-factor in this series and that’s exactly what he was in Game 1. As mentioned above, Carlo put the Bruins up 2-0 just 5:47 into the second period. The 6-foot-5, 217-pound was an absolute beast, shutting down one of the most lethal power plays in the NHL and finishing with three shots and two blocked shots.

Brandon Carlo gives the Bruins a 2-0
lead. This was a beautiful shot. pic.twitter.com/0QGBFNo3B6

— Jamie Gatlin (@JamieGatlin17) April 21, 2024

Series Schedule:

Game 1: Bruins 5 Maple Leafs 1
Game 2: TOR @ BOS, April 22, 7 p.m. (NESN, ESPN, SN, CBC, TVAS)
Game 3: BOS @ TOR, April 24, 7 p.m. (NESN, SN, CBC, TVAS, ESPN)
Game 4: BOS @ TOR, April 27, 8 p.m. (NESN, SN, CBC, TVAS, TBS, truTV, MAX)
Game 5: TOR @ BOS, April 30* (TBD)
Game 6: BOS @ TOR, May 2* (TBD)
Game 7: TOR @ BOS, May 4* (TBD)

Boston Bruins Lineup

Forwards

Danton Heinen – Pavel Zacha – David Pastrnak

Brad Marchand – Charlie Coyle – Jake DeBrusk

Jakub Lauko – Morgan Geekie – Trent Frederic

John Beecher – Jesper Boqvist – Pat Maroon

Defensemen

Hampus Lindholm – Charlie McAvoy

Matt Grzelcyk – Brandon Carlo

Kevin Shattenkirk – Andrew Peeke

Goalies

Jeremy Swayman

Linus Ullmark