Jeremy Swayman pitched a 31-save shutout as the Boston Bruins beat the visiting New Jersey Devils 3-0 on Monday afternoon.
It was Swayman’s third shutout this season and the 12th of his career in only 112 regular-season games.
David Pastrnak scored a goal after helping to set up Charlie Coyle’s game-winning tally early in the second period to support Swayman, while Trent Frederic clinched the victory with an empty-net goal.
Brad Marchand assisted on the first two goals for Boston, which has points in six straight games (3-0-3).
Pastrnak eclipsed the 60-point mark in 43 or fewer games in a season for the third time in his career, a feat only three other players in Bruins franchise history have achieved.
Nico Daws stopped 33 shots in the New Jersey goal.
Boston had a 36-31 shot advantage while going 1-for-4 on the power play and 1-for-1 on the penalty kill.
Swayman made a game-high 12 of his stops in the third.
Boston’s James van Riemsdyk had an opening power-play goal come off the board at the 7:37 mark of the first period after New Jersey successfully challenged for offsides.
The Bruins did draw first blood with a goal that counted just 30 seconds into the middle frame as Brad Marchand slipped a pass off the left wall to Coyle, who put home a backhand shot past Daws’ blocker side.
Swayman did well to keep his Bruins in a 1-0 game through 40 minutes, making consecutive point-blank stops — including one on Nathan Bastian — in the final minute of the second.
A frantic man-up sequence resulted in Boston’s insurance goal at 3:22 of the third. Daws made outstanding saves before and while Max Willman served a slashing penalty on Boston’s Charlie McAvoy, who was stopped on a drive to the net before setting up Pastrnak for a one-time goal from the left circle.
Frederic closed the win with 1:18 left when he beat two Devils defenders and deflected a loose puck into an open net.
New Jersey defenseman Brendan Smith did not return after attempting a hit from McAvoy in the first period. No official update on his status was given before the game ended.
–Field Level Media
