Boston Bruins

Swayman Helps Bruins Bury Blue Jackets In Bounce-Back Win

Published

2 weeks ago

December 28, 2024

Andrew Fantucchio

AP Photo/Jim Davis

BOSTON — What a difference 24 hours can make.

It was only a day ago when the Boston Bruins were on the wrong end of a brutal beating at the hands of the Columbus Blue Jackets in the first half of a home-and-home series between the two teams.

On Saturday, the Bruins bounced back, burying the Blue Jackets to the tune of 4-0 from start to finish at TD Garden, where Jeremy Swayman stopped all 18 shots that Columbus threw his way to pick up his second shutout of the season.

“It’s really important, and I think the way we did it was the most exciting part,” Swayman said. “A full 60 minutes is exactly what we’ve been harping on and wanting to do, so we’re really pleased with the way that we played.”

When the Bruins played the Blue Jackets on Friday in Columbus, the second period was one of the worst 20 minutes of hockey they’ve played all season. Back in Boston a day later, the middle frame was one of their best.

Already ahead 1-0, Morgan Geekie pushed the Bruins’ lead to two, ripping a shot from the left circle for his eighth goal of the season.

The advantage grew to three moments later when Columbus fumbled the puck at the attacking blue line, springing David Pastrnak on a breakaway in the other direction. With a quick head fake and move from his backhand to his forehand, Pastrnak easily beat Blue Jackets goalie Daniil Tarasov for his 13th goal of the year.

🍝 🆙 🍪 pic.twitter.com/cQD7KRGM5L

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) December 29, 2024

“When David gets in alone like that, odds are pretty good that he’s going to do something,” said Bruins interim head coach Joe Sacco. ” I think the feeling on the bench is there’s an opportunity for the puck to actually get into the back of the net here, especially with a player like David.”

As much as energy and effort were an issue for the Bruins in their earlier matchup with the Blue Jackets, so too was the penalty kill, where they surrendered a goal in each of their three shorthanded situations.

The Bruins didn’t play down man nearly as many times on Saturday but were exceptionally more effective in the one instance they were.

A four-minute double-minor penalty by Mark Kastelic was just the chance Columbus was looking for to get back in the game down 3-0. But instead, the Bruins completely shut the door on them, killing off the penalty while allowing just a single shot on net.

Boston continued to own the ice in the third period and added to its lead when Cole Koepke netted his sixth goal of the season with an unassisted snipe off the rush at 6:06 of the period.

Bruins top prospect Fabian Lysell made his NHL debut and had an instant impact.

Sacco on Fabian Lysell:

“He was trying to be very responsible away from the puck. You could see he was making a conscious effort to be good without the puck, and those are the things that he needs to continue to build his game.”

— Andrew Fantucchio (@A_Fantucchio) December 29, 2024

On his very first shift, Lysell transitioned the puck through the neutral zone and then won a battle along the wall, allowing the Bruins to establish possession in the attacking end.

That effort helped get the Bruins on the board early as Justin Brazeau stuffed a loose puck into the back of the net for this eighth goal of the season just 2:28 into the game.

“It’s crazy how fast things can happen,” said Lysell. “I woke up this morning, didn’t think of this, and then you get a call, and then you’re up here. It’s just unbelievable and definitely special for me and my family, for sure, and everybody that’s helped me along the way.”

And just like that, the Bruins conclude the calendar year of 2024 at TD Garden by going undefeated in its final month, a perfect 6-0-0 in December.

At 20-14-4, the Bruins have one more game left before the New Year on Tuesday afternoon on the road against the Washington Capitals.