Jeremy Swayman is ready to bounce back after he was pulled during the Bruins’ loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Jim Montgomery revealed to reporters after Monday’s loss the Boston goalie asked why he was pulled. That conversation was left for a later time as the head coach felt the team needed a spark.
“I want to be in the game no matter what,” Swayman told reporters Wednesday, per team-provided video. “And it wasn’t a jawing back or anything like that. It was just a communication thing, and we talked about it. And we’re completely good.”
The move didn’t pay off as Boston lost its third straight game, where it has given up 17 goals during that stretch. Montgomery tried multiple different tactics to find a boost for the team and knew they wouldn’t always be easy decisions.
“I had a good meeting with (Swayman on Wednesday,” Montgomery told reporters, per Eric Russo of BostonBruins.com. “Sway is a competitor. I always trust my gut behind the bench, and my gut said the team needed a spark, and that was the way to get it. In New York, my gut told me to call a timeout, and my gut told me to pull the goalie with seven and a half minutes left (in Columbus).
“I don’t like living with regret, and sometimes I make bad decisions. And I’ve got to own up to those as well, and I do that in my conversations with the players if it’s the case. But I’m going to go back with Swayman (Thursday) night.”
The Bruins still are among the best teams in the NHL heading into Thursday despite their three-game losing skid, but the goal for the team is to find consistency to close out the month.
“He’s our head coach, and we trust everything that he’s going to do,” Swayman said. “I thought we did get the jump a little bit, whatever it takes for the team to win. I know I’m going to take the positives, and roll with it and move forward like I always do.”
The goalies aren’t solely to blame for the Bruins’ losing streak with Montgomery highlighting the lack of consistency with his team’s rush defense. But Swayman will come in plenty motivated Thursday night.
“I want to finish every game I start,” Swayman said. “That’s an edge I know I play with, and that’s what my M.O. is. The guys, they all trust in me that I’m going to battle no matter what, and that’s something I’m going to carry forward for the rest of my career, and today and tomorrow. I got to look at the film I did (Wednesday). Again, make some changes and move forward with the positives.”
Puck drop for the Bruins’ matchup against the San Jose Sharks at TD Garden is scheduled at 7 p.m. ET, and you can catch full coverage on NESN starting with pregame at 6 p.m.
