Goalie report: A look at Leafs’ Samsonov, Bruins’ Swayman in Game 3

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Following each game in the first round between the Maple Leafs and Bruins, we’ll be providing a quick synopsis of the clubs’ goaltending performances. 

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A look at how each netminder fared in the Bruins’ 4-2 win in Game 3:

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Jeremy Swayman, Bruins

28/30 saves, .933 save percentage

Oh, to have the luxury of the goaltending situation that Bruins coach Jim Montgomery has every day. 

Jeremy Swayman’s turn to spend a night on the job was key in Boston’s win.

In his two starts in the series, Swayman has stopped 63 of 66 shots for a .955 save percentage, the best in the NHL through the early going of the first round of the playoffs.

A save on Auston Matthews during a Leafs power play in the second period, when Swayman challenged the Leafs’ best shooter and got some of the shot to send it wide, was among his better stops.

A pad save on Nick Robertson in the third after Jake DeBrusk put the Bruins ahead also made a difference.

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You won’t find many goalies in the NHL who play with the level of composure that Swayman does. If Montgomery breaks the rotation for Game 4 and sticks with Swayman, no one would raise an eyebrow.

Ilya Samsonov, Maple Leafs

30/33 saves, .909 save percentage

Just when we were getting to the point that Ilya Samsonov wasn’t prone to allowing a soft goal, here’s Trent Frederic scoring on a shot that shouldn’t have beaten the Leafs netminder.

When Frederic scored late in the second period on a shot that got under Samsonov’s blocker, it wiped out some Leafs momentum after Matthew Knies scored four minutes earlier for a 1-0 Toronto lead.

Defensive breakdowns by the Leafs — on a power-play goal by DeBrusk in the third and on Brad Marchand’s winner — gave the Bruins great scoring opportunities and they capitalized. Samsonov could have used some help on both.

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At other times, the crowd at Scotiabank Arena trotted out the “Sammy, Sammy!” chants that have been customary after big saves.

Some think Joseph Woll should be in net for Game 4, but keep in mind that Woll hit some bumps in his starts after returning from an ankle injury.

Sheldon Keefe would have to ask himself whether he thinks Woll would give the Leafs a better chance to win. Samsonov hasn’t been so poor that he absolutely needs to be taken out.

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