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Bruins Finding a Winning Strategy

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Alamo Taylor
March 15, 2024 (4:56 PM)

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Photo credit: hockeypatrol

Fans are wondering exactly what the Bruins are going to do in regards to their goalie strategy in order to plant the Boston flag in the playoffs this season. With 14 games left in the season, do the Bruins change it up from last year and continue goalie rotation into the playoffs?

"Last year, the Bruins rotated goalies right to the end in the regular season and then tried to ride one guy in the playoffs. Based on Jim Montgomery's comments yesterday, I don't think they'll be doing the same thing this year."

Head coach Jim Montgomery was recently asked about how they are going to approach spreading out their goalies up to the playoffs, and how they will do it once the playoffs arrive.

"I don't know," he said. "I mean, that's something that we'll just continue to talk about internally if it makes sense. We have a little more rest now on our schedule after a heavy load of games, so it might make more sense a little bit then. But we also worry then that a goalie might not get in for almost six or seven days," said Montgomery.

Montgomery doesn't seem to be convinced about giving his goalies numerous starts in a row over the next few games.

Whether he commits to starting one over the other continuously, allowing for Ullmark or Swayman to rest up over a couple of games, or allows for the two goalies to interchange as needed, Montgomery has not given any clear-cut answers on how he will approach the situation. It is very possible that allowing for the team to go with the flow and play it by ear could be the right move, and not put too much pressure on exactly how they will be assigning the goalies for the rest of the season.

"You might go two games in a row with one goalie if we keep doing the rotation and rotate after that," says Montgomery. "Just when you start winning in the playoffs, it makes it harder to switch lineup and goaltenders. But that's something that we're gonna have to discuss internally, and we know if you go with a platoon the whole year, switching in and switching out, you can't expect one guy to ride the emotions of the playoffs by themselves," said Montgomery when asked about the game-by-game goalie strategy.

All of the talk surrounding the Bruins and their goalies have yet to be addressed officially, as Montgomery and goalie coach Bob Essensa continue to give answers without anything set in stone. Fans are hoping to hear something solid on the matter soon, but continue to put their faith in the teams ability to make the right call.

Considering Ullmark wasn't given too much rest before last years playoffs, the team knows they can count on him no matter the situation. The two goalies save percentages are almost the same as Swayman is sitting at .909 while Ullmark is at .910.

source: audacy

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