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But with Game 6 against Florida to be played Friday at TD Garden, the extra day off couldn’t come at a better time. Boston trails 3-2 in the best-of-7 series.
“You like it at this [point],” Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said Wednesday. “This is when in the series you feel like it’s beneficial for everybody.”
In this case, it allows an extra day of recovery for Brad Marchand, who has missed the past two games with an upper-body injury. The Bruins captain remains day to day after exiting Game 3 on May 10 following a hit from Panthers center Sam Bennett.
It should also benefit goalie Jeremy Swayman, who has arguably been Boston’s best player in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. After splitting time with Linus Ullmark during the regular season, Swayman has started 11 of the Bruins’ 12 playoff games so far, including each of the past 10.
The 25-year-old had never started more than five games in a row prior to this postseason. He has a 2.16 goals-against average and .933 save percentage despite facing the most shots in the League (345).
Montgomery said the Bruins will continue to monitor Swayman’s workload but considers it a “moot point’ with an extra day off before Game 6.
“There’s a confidence and an air [Swayman] that he’s invincible, which makes us really confident that we’re in a good place,” Montgomery said. “Like the pulled-goalie situation [in Game 5 against Florida], I was behind the bench. I’m like, ‘They’re not scoring; we have Swayman in nets.’”
“[We’re] loose,” Montgomery said. “We’re just thinking getting rest before Game 6.”
???? Florida Panthers vs. Boston Bruins ???? New York Rangers vs. Carolina Hurricanes ???? Dallas Stars vs. Colorado Avalanche ???? Vancouver Canucks vs. Edmonton Oilers
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