Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports

Game 1: Bruins 5, Maple Leafs 1 - Is Montgomery really going to turn to Ullmark?

Originally posted on Boston Sports Journal
By Greg A. Bedard | Last updated 4/26/24

A quickie take on the game with Three Stars, Three Duds and the biggest lingering question ...

GAME FLOW

The Bruins, who decided to go with Jeremy Swayman (3-0 vs. Leafs) in net instead of Linus Ullmark (who was next up in the rotation) got off to a bit of slow start as the Leafs came out flying but it didn't matter as the fourth line hit paydirt on their first shift as Pat Maroon (Bruins-high six hits) had a good back check, and then Jesper Boqvist had a great feed to John Beecher, who scored on his first very postseason shift.

BOQVIST. BEECHER. BRUINS 1-0 pic.twitter.com/Zbbk1lQ1Ww
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 21, 2024

The Bruins put up three straight goals in the second, including two power play tallies from Jake DeBrusk (career-high 3 points), to really put this out of reach.

Jake DeBrusk's turn to get on the scoresheet pic.twitter.com/yKXqawXkRc
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 21, 2024

Swayman, who was really sharp, stopped 35 of 36 shots.

THREE STARS

1. Jeremy Swayman.

Had a .972 save percentage and stopped 20 of 21 high-danger chances. The Leafs were expected to score 4.74 goals, with the Bruins at 3.64.

2. Jake DeBrusk.

He was just terrific, especially on the revamped power play (hat tip to Jim Montgomery).

3. Physical play.

Each team tallied 50 hits in this game. Aside from Maroon, Trent Frederic, DeBrusk and Jakub Lauko each had five.

Pat Maroon just LEVELED Liljegren into the bench pic.twitter.com/HiDAiGkZN1
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 21, 2024

THREE DUDS

Matt Grzelcyk/Andrew Peeke: They were on the ice for a combine 24 shots against and only five for.

Brad Marchand: Thought he was basically invisible in this game. Bruins can't get away with too many of those.

Trent Frederic: Got the empty-netter thanks to a David Pastrnak hustle play, but outside of this I don't remember him beyond the first period.

BIGGEST LINGERING QUESTION

Is Jim Montgomery definitely going to rotate his goaltenders each game?

I mean...

Swayman this season against the Maple Leafs:

4-0
133 shots faced
128 saves
.962 save percentage

Ullmark:

1-0
40 shots
37 saves
.925 save percentage

So, who's starting Game 2?

"I'm not going to tell you," said Montgomery. “It’s gonna be hard to go away from Sway. He played a terrific game. If we decide to with Ullmark, we're comfortable with it ... It doesn't affect us in the room."

The TNT crew, including Henrik Lundquist, chimed in.