Linus Ullmark is the Bruins' Game 2 starter against the Maple Leafs

Bruins

The Bruins' goaltending rotation stays in place.

For the twenty seventh game in a row, the Bruins are changing their starting goaltender – Linus Ullmark is given the nod for Game 2 of Boston's first-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Ullmark's start ends days of debate about how Jim Montgomery and the Bruins would handle their goaltending plans after their Game 1 victory Saturday night.

The natural move for Montgomery was to keep up the team's proven goalie rotation and use Ullmark in Game 2. The reigning Vezina Trophy winner finished the regular season on a high note, going 6-3-0 with a .935 save percentage for the reason that trade deadline.

But Swayman's standout performance in Game 1 on Saturday made his head coach understandably hesitant to succeed in out to Ullmark. Swayman stopped 35 of the 36 shots that got here his way Saturday en path to Boston's 5-1 win.

Although Swayman struggled at times within the second half (.903 save percentage in his final 17 regular season games), the 25-year-old goaltender found success against Toronto. Swayman has won his last five starts against Toronto since last season, posting a .963 save percentage over that prolonged stretch.

“It will be hard to get away from Sway. He played a great game,” Montgomery said Saturday night. “But if we choose Ullmark, we and our team will be happy with it. It doesn’t affect us in the room, no matter who starts the next game.”

Ullmark played in only one game against the Maple Leafs through the 2023-24 regular season, stopping 37 of 40 shots in Boston's 4-3 time beyond regulation win on Dec. 2 in Toronto.

While the Bruins could have opted to keep on with the new hand and play Swayman again, Montgomery's lineup lineup Monday is consistent with the formula the team used for many of the regular season.

“We’ve relied on it all year,” Jake DeBrusk said of Boston’s goaltending rotation on Monday morning. “I think since last season with these two guys too. I think it's one of those things where we have confidence in both guys. I think both guys stole a lot of games from us this year.

“I find it intimidating when you know as the other team that you have two starting goalkeepers. For us, it’s just one of those things where we want to play well in front of both of them.”