Bruins start Jeremy Swayman in Game 5, Matthews ruled out

The Boston Bruins are sticking with Jeremy Swayman in net for Game 5.

Swayman will make his third-straight start in net for Boston as the Bruins aim to eliminate the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday night at TD Garden.

The Bruins have deviated from their goalie rotation between him and Linus Ullmark as this series has carried on, due in large part to Swayman’s brilliance against the Maple Leafs. 

Swayman has won all six of his matchups against Toronto during the 2023-24 season, sporting a .957 save percentage along the way. He is 3-0 in this first-round series against the Leafs with a .956 save percentage. 

Ullmark has not made an appearance in this series since Game 2 on April 22, with the reigning Vezina Trophy winner giving up three goals on 34 shots in Boston’s 3-2 loss at TD Garden. 

“Sway has been playing tremendously,” Ullmark said of Boston’s goalie reps on Monday. “I have a lot of faith in that fella and I’m very happy for him, obviously. 

“And that’s what I try to do as well — stay positive and supportive of him. Because if I don’t support my guy, I’m not supporting the team. And if I’m not supporting the team, I’m not supporting him. So it kind of goes hand in hand with that sort of situation.”

Even though Swayman is staying put, the Maple Leafs are making some changes in net — Joseph Woll will get the start over Ilya Samsonov. Samsonov is 1-3 in this series with an .883 save percentage. 

Woll had stronger numbers than Samsonov during the regular season (12-11-1, .907 save percentage), but labored against Boston in the regular season. The former Boston College goalie is 0-2-1 with an .865 save percentage and a 3.97 goals-against average against the Bruins in his career.

But the Maple Leafs’ most significant change for Game 5 is up front, as star forward Auston Matthews will not play due to what the team is calling an illness. 

Matthews did not play in the third period of Game 4 on Saturday, with doctors pulling him from the game due to illness.

“We thought the last couple of days would help us,” Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe told reporters in Toronto on Sunday. “But, for whatever reason, it’s not one of those run-of-the-mill type of illnesses that sort of comes and goes. This one has lingered, and the effects have lingered and gotten worse when he’s got on the ice and is asserting himself.”

Matthews was the best player on the ice for Toronto during the Leafs’ Game 2 win at TD Garden — scoring a goal and two primary assists over 23:24 of ice time while adding eight shots on goal, a team-high six hits, and winning 16 of 23 face-offs.

But Matthews was not able to carry that play over in Games 3 and 4, posting zero points in both losses with a combined four shots on goal. 

Based on warmups, the Bruins will slot in Justin Brazeau on the fourth line, where he skated with Pat Maroon and Jesper Boqvist. Johnny Beecher will draw out of the lineup in a corresponding move. 

On defense, Matt Grzlecyk will return to the lineup in place of Kevin Shattenkirk. Grzelcyk skated on the third D pair next to Parker Wotherspoon, while Mason Lohrei remained on the top pairing next to Charlie McAvoy.