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Could this be the Bruins' downfall in the Playoffs?


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Michael Christian
January 8, 2024  (10:04)
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Jim Montgomery
Photo credit: Boston Globe

Last year, the Bruins were a dominating team that ran roughshod through the NHL on their way to the President's Trophy. They had, as they do again this season, the best goalie tandem in the league. Linus Ullmark won the Vezina Trophy and all thought everything would stay the same in the playoffs. Coach Jim Montgomery decided to abandon the goalie rotation and then the sky fell, Ullmark had a terrible postseason, Swayman didn't perform when he had the chance. That Decision still weighs on the coach today as he states in an interview with 98.5 The Sports HUB when asked about keeping the goalie switching up in the playoffs.

«Yes, I mean, there's no reason, and I think, you know, you've got to learn from the past, too,» Montgomery told the Toucher & Hardy show. «Last year, I made a mistake by not doing that in the playoffs. And I think that we, as an organization, we evaluate everything. When you have two goaltenders, and the demands of the playoffs are much more strenuous mentally than they are physically because you're only playing every second day. It's not like the regular season. But the mental demands are significant. If you know you can have a day off to get a breather, reset, refocus, and bring your A-game again, I think it just behooves us to play to our strengths.»

The decision to go with a goalie tandem in the playoffs seems easy. The way the Bruins goalies are performing, why not? However, in the last century, all but five teams have won the Stanely Cup with the same goalie winning all 16 playoff games. Those five teams only switched goalies due to injury or performance issues. There was never a true goalie tandem in the Stanley Cup Finals that has won it all. Clearly Mongomery thinks the Bruins can break that streak as has the utmost trust in both of this netminders.
What happens when the Bruins are down 3-2 in a series? What Goalie do you use? What if you need one more game to clinch? Game 7, who starts? These will be questions that Montgomery may need to address come playoff time, and just sticking with the switching of each goalie each game, may not be the answer. The Playoffs are a different monster, as the Bruins learned last year after a dominating regular season and a shocking first round exit.
Source:NBCSportsBoston
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Could this be the Bruins' downfall in the Playoffs?

Who Should Bruins Use in the Playoffs?

Linus Ullmark3710.4 %
Jeremy Swayman8523.8 %
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