The Boston Bruins fell in devastating fashion to the Los Angeles Kings, suffering a loss that could put their Stanley Cup Playoffs’ aspirations on the backburner. Still, goalie Jeremy Swayman didn’t just stand by with his arms crossed. When push came to shove, the American netminder skated to center ice, ready to drop the gloves with opposing goalie Darcy Kuemper. However, the referees stepped in, much to the disappointment of fans both in the arena and around the NHL.
Swayman’s performance was abysmal against the Kings, and it’s been yet another example of his concerning form during the 2024-25 NHL season. With each disastrous showing, more fingers point at the organization’s decision to keep Swayman while trading away Linus Ullmark during the offseason.
During the 7-2 loss to Los Angeles, Swayman surrendered seven goals on 23 shots, finishing with a rough .696 save percentage. However, the blame for the defeat can’t fall solely on him, as the Bruins managed just 13 shots on Kuemper all game. Perhaps if the officials had let the two goalies drop the gloves, Swayman could’ve given Kuemper something else to worry about.
With less than six minutes left in the second period, the Bruins trailed 3-2 when a scrum broke out in front of the Kings‘ crease. Marat Khusnutdinov collided with Darcy Kuemper, prompting the goaltender to retaliate. Jeremy Swayman wasn’t about to let the hit on his teammate slide.
However, to the fans’ dismay, NHL officials stepped in before either goalie could throw a punch, Swayman made his stance clear after the game, sending a firm warning to Kuemper—and to anyone who dares mess with a Bruins player.
“He touched one of my guys. It’s something that I’m not gonna accept,” Swayman stated postgame, via NESN. “I think it just comes down to sticking up for my teammates. I don’t care who it is. It’s a guy in Black and Gold. You’re not gonna touch him without getting contested and I care about every one of these guys like a brother. That’s just the way I felt and I felt like it was my turn to step up.”
Rough stretch
The Bruins are mired in a heartcrushing losing slump, dragging a six-game winless drought, with only one point during the soul-stomping stretch. Swayman’s numbers have been exasperating over his latest outings, underlining one focal issue of concern on the team.
During his last four starts, Swayman has a 0-4-0 record, with an awful .815 SV% average. Perhaps the most concerning stat, is the fact that the Bruins’ starting goalie allowed an average of 6.00 goals against. According to Bruin Something host Michael Sullivan, no other NHL goalie has worse numbers than Swayman during this span of games.
No games and fun
The crestfallen Bruins will vie to get back in the win column during their visit to the Anaheim Ducks on March 26. Though the team will have plenty of leisure time in California, it’s safe to say the locker room is not in the mood for rides, sudden drops, and castle visits. The Bruins’ season has been a rollercoaster of its own, and there’s nothing the players would love more than for the ride to reach its final stop, finally offering relief to their spinning heads.