Jeremy Swayman promised that the series would come back to Boston, and he proved himself right. Swayman made 28 saves, and Charlie McAvoy scored the go-ahead goal for the Bruins in a 2-1 victory over the Florida Panthers in Game 5 of their NHL playoff series.
One of Swayman’s crucial saves came at the end of the game when he denied Florida’s Sam Reinhart from close range with about 8 seconds left. This win fulfilled Swayman’s promise that the Bruins would leave Florida victorious.
“We have a goaltender that’s extremely confident,” said Bruins coach Jim Montgomery. “His swagger gives confidence.”
Morgan Geekie also scored for the Bruins, who are now 2-0 in elimination games this season. They previously won a Game 7 against Toronto in Round 1. This victory marked the first time the Bruins were able to contain the Panthers’ offense effectively.
Reinhart scored the lone goal for Florida, and Sergei Bobrovsky made 26 saves. Despite the loss, Panthers coach Paul Maurice acknowledged that his team improved as the game progressed, especially after a slow start in the first period.
Florida, whose series lead was reduced to 3-2, scored 15 goals on 107 shots in the last three games. However, in Game 5, they were limited to 29 shots, and Swayman appeared completely in control throughout the match.
Game 6 will take place in Boston on Friday, and if needed, Game 7 will return to Florida on Sunday.
“We’re going to Florida, and we’re going to stick to our game plan and get it done,” said Swayman confidently after Game 4. “I have full confidence in this team, and we’re determined to bring it back to Boston.” And indeed, the series is heading back to Boston.
“I’m grateful to my mentors for guiding me and teaching me to replace ‘nervous’ with ‘excited’,” said Swayman after Game 5. “I embrace these moments and find the most joy in them. I couldn’t be happier.”
With 3:05 left in the game, Bobrovsky was pulled as Florida tried to tie the game with an extra attacker, but they only managed to get three shots on Swayman for the remainder of the game.
