FACEOFF: Inside the NHL (2024) s01e03 Episode Script

1
[exhales sharply]
[crowd cheering]
[Swayman] I've worked so hard to get here.
And from being in the middle of nowhere
and being so irrelevant
to being the only thing that matters.
You know, you're looking around,
and you see every single person
staring right at you.
It's insane.
[crowd cheering]
[announcer]
Well, the 195th Game 7
in NHL playoff history is underway.
[Bissonnette] Playoff performances,
to take that next step, are everything.
[player] That it. Stay over!
[Bissonnette]
When all the chips are on the table,
if you can't perform
under that type of pressure
Fuck this!
then you're not the guy.
[player] It's our fucking moment, boys.
It's your time.
[Swayman] When legit stars
are able to cope with all that,
that's what I want to do.
[announcer]
What a save by Swayman!
[Nurse]
I think with Jeremy Swayman,
it's absolutely fantastic
to watch his step to stardom.
[announcer 1]
Swayman makes a diving save!
-[announcer 2] What a save!
-[player] Yeah, baby!
[Swayman]
I fucking love you guys!
[Redmond] But with that comes a lot
of stress and pressure.
Kind of lets me forget about the world
and just be in the moment.
[announcer]
It actually goes off of Swayman. Scores!
You're the best when you win
-Yeah!
-Yeah!
[Swayman] Way to fucking play, hey?
Nice job, big boy.
and you're the worst when you lose.
[announcer] Scores!
Linus Ullmark replaces Jeremy Swayman.
Last year, they had the best
NHL season in league history.
But in the first round of the playoffs,
Boston was firmly in control.
They were up three games to one,
and they let it slip away.
[announcer]
Centered in front and they score!
Matthew Tkachuk!
[Blackburn] As Mike Tyson said,
"Everybody's got a plan
until you get punched in the face."
And the Bruins were punched in the face
by the Florida Panthers.
[announcer 1] And the Panthers
have eliminated the Boston Bruins!
[announcer 2]
Tkachuk, again, the story of the series.
[announcer 3]
He scores!
[Bissonnette] Matthew Tkachuk
is the perfect player come playoff time.
[announcer 3]
Tkachuk with the shot! He scores!
Yes! Yes! Yeah!
At the end of that period just grind it
out, get it in, grind it out, get it in.
[Bissonnette] He's rough and tough
and can scores goals, make plays.
[announcer]
Oh, what a hit by Matthew Tkachuk!
And he'll talk trash right in your face.
[Tkachuk]
What a fucking player you are.
You might be worse than your brother.
And he's an asshole in all the ways
that you want him to be an asshole.
[Tkachuk] You'll be fucking
washing my car next year.
You'll be working for me.
Shut up!
[Subban] I wouldn't call him an asshole.
I'd call him a hell of a good player.
I'd call him a superstar.
[announcer] Superstars make the big plays
at the big times,
and Matthew Tkachuk has done that.
[Redmond] He is a star in his own right
outside of his game.
[woman] Biggest fan here.
[Tkachuk]
When I'm at my best, I'm physical,
I'm in your face, and I'm able to produce.
[announcer]
When the stakes are the highest,
it's number 19 coming through.
[Redmond] This year,
Jeremy Swayman and Matthew Tkachuk
playing against each other in a series
makes for a very interesting dynamic.
Jeremy Swayman grows up in Alaska
going on, like, 50-mile hikes
when he was 10.
Matthew Tkachuk grows up
following his dad around
as a professional hockey player.
[Blackburn] You have the established star
going up against the up-and-coming star.
And to be a guy
that management puts their future in,
you have to deliver in the playoffs.
Especially as a goaltender.
[announcer]
Swayman comes up with a gamer!
[Redmond]
What's so compelling about this year
is that we don't really know
what the future holds for Jeremy Swayman.
[Blackburn] Swayman is fighting
for a contract this season.
So where things stand now
is that something's got to give.
I still got so much more to offer,
and I haven't proven shit.
[cell phone rings]
-[Swayman] Were you in the car?
-[Beth] I'm in the car!
Say hi, everyone. This is my sister Beth.
Is Maddox in the car?
-[Beth] Hi!
-[laughs]
-No, Maddox isn't in the car.
-Oh, okay.
[Beth] Why is everybody there?
[Swayman]
Basically, they're going behind the mask.
We're playing some guitar.
[Beth] Oh, really?
[laughs] Yeah.
[Beth] You might break a camera lens.
[Swayman] Yeah.
That was big sister for you.
Calling my ass out.
[laughs]
Jeremy Swayman is exactly what you think.
a nice boy from Alaska would be.
Down-to-earth, outdoorsy, humble.
[Swayman]
How are you guys doing?
Oh, yeah!
See that? That's how we do it.
Awesome, guys.
He's basically Canadian, right?
I mean, they're so nice up there.
But he just has this laser focus.
You know, game days are so long sometimes
when you get back from the rink
from morning skate.
So I started playing guitar a bit.
Brings you into the moment.
You know,
you don't really keep track of time.
That, for me, is my meditation.
That's my Zen.
This is a big step for me,
singing in front of you guys,
I'll tell you that.
[laughs]
[plucking]
In the night while my body
Slept in my bed ♪
My mind was running
Through the woods instead ♪
Growing up in Alaska in the middle
of nowhere, you're looking up at stars.
Hundred miles an hour in the fast lane ♪
Then all of a sudden,
you are the center of attention.
Hundred miles an hour in my head ♪
It was like, wow,
this is what it's all about.
This is really special.
[whoops]
[strumming]
My heart does beat
Like a Cherokee drum ♪
The way I cope with it
is to be in awe of the moment.
Even if I'm getting ripped,
I'm in awe of the moment
because it's a dream come true.
Hundred miles an hour in my head ♪
It's hard to do it on demand there.
[laughs]
[strumming]
I promise I didn't script this.
[laughs]
[Nurse] That next step to stardom,
it is very hard.
[Swayman] Thanks, fellas.
[Nurse] Because you start to wear
a lot more on your shoulders.
You start to put
a lot more pressure on yourself.
[Redmond] Is Jeremy Swayman's
long-term future with the Boston Bruins?
I don't know.
Ah! Come on!
[Blackburn]
The goaltending situation here in Boston
is one of the rare situations
where there are
two great goalies in Boston.
You've got the young gun
in Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark,
who's coming off a Vezina campaign
as the league's best goaltender.
[Pastrnak] Linus is more experienced.
Sway's a little bit younger, you know.
And I still remember when he came
and he was so good.
I was like, "Where did he came from?"
[announcer] Down low,
and a stop made by Ullmark.
-[Swayman] Attaboy.
-[Blackburn] But he is an RFA.
"Restricted free agent."
So you have two elite goaltenders,
and there's only one net to share.
[announcer] Not many have
what Jim Montgomery has at his disposal.
He's got two number one goalies.
This will be the last year
that they have this luxury.
[Blackburn]
The future goaltender of the Bruins
will likely be determined
in these playoffs.
[announcer] Rebound! Scores!
Matthew Tkachuk makes it one-nothing.
[Tkachuk] Fucking beauty.
All right, get in, guys.
I make the switch
to my golf cart glasses though.
I got golf cart glasses, casual glasses,
pool glasses, Jet Ski glasses,
nothing glasses.
Simple life down here. Oh, my God.
First purchase I'm gonna make
is gonna be a golf cart.
I bought the house
and then bought the golf cart right after.
I then bought Jet Skis right after.
We got some fucking partiers
over here, guys.
[women giggling]
Hey!
Whoo!
Oh, yeah.
It's just I don't know
what to tell you.
It's just Florida.
Everyone's having a good time.
It sucks me in every time.
At the end day, you're still a competitor.
So it doesn't matter where you play.
Like, losing sucks.
But with that being said,
when you win down here,
it's-it's-it's a lot of fun.
[crowd cheering]
[announcer]
What a hit by Tkachuk to Eichel.
[Nurse]
I think when Tkachuk entered Florida,
he really breathed
new life into that organization.
He brought the edge that I think
that they've needed for a long time,
and an attitude, and a real swag.
[announcer] And they score!
[broadcaster]
One of the biggest trades of this season,
the Panthers getting Matthew Tkachuk.
[Redmond]
He wanted the trade out of Calgary,
but there were certain places
that he wanted to be dealt to.
Florida was one of them.
[broadcaster] I'm still shocked
at the magnitude of the deal
between the Flames and the Panthers.
Probably one of the biggest ones
I think we've seen in years.
I would say the Tkachuk trade
is one of the ballsiest trades
I've ever seen in NHL history.
To kind of take it into his own hands
and say that he wants
to go play in South Florida.
And he saw that they had the recipe
to put a winner together,
and that he was one of those
missing pieces.
I mean, look at last year.
He was incredible.
[announcer] The Florida Panthers
are headed to the Stanley Cup final.
[Subban]
When you think of the Florida Panthers,
you think about of Matthew Tkachuk.
He walked into that locker room
and took over instantly.
And they haven't looked back.
They haven't looked back at all.
[announcer] Superstars make
the big plays at the big times,
and Matthew Tkachuk has done that.
[golf cart beeping]
I'm not paying.
Whenever I have my buddies in town
or family, this is the go-to.
Right now, we're at a spot where
I come to before every single home game.
I'll go jump in the water,
get right back in the cart, go home,
go in the pool.
[announcer 1] Cross-ice, Tkachuk
[announcer 2] He was open,
and there's nobody around
[Tkachuk] The first time I did it,
we played Boston in Game 5.
We won in overtime.
[announcer]
Centered it in front! And they score!
Matt Tkachuk keeps
the Florida Panthers alive.
[Tkachuk] Flew down here, and then I came
here and did this for the first time.
And then the next night we won our
first home playoff game out of the series.
I think that's a big reason why I felt
pretty fresh for most of the games.
Still sandy as hell,
but what are you gonna do?
I got to come down and make a difference
in the playoffs when it matters.
I guess last year was a step
in the right direction.
And now I got to finish the ultimate goal.
[interviewer] You say you got a lot
of visitors and stuff.
-Who swings by?
-[Tkachuk] Oh, my dad.
He basically lives at my house.
It's fucking insane.
-[interviewer] Does it get annoying?
-Yeah, he's always annoying.
[sizzling]
-Brady, take this in for me, will you?
-What is that? A marinade?
It's a little smoky there, Dad.
You're gonna burn the house down?
[Keith] What's that?
Shut the fuck up while I'm cooking.
[laughs]
I'm doing you a favor, buddy.
Hey, I did you a favor
by coming down here.
[Keith] Oh, my God.
That's where you go,
"Touché. son. Touché."
Dad, Keith Tkachuk, is
I mean, if you know hockey,
you know Keith Tkachuk.
[announcer 1] Here is Tkachuk.
He scores!
[announcer 2]
Tkachuk got it back, and scores!
[announcer 3] Shoots! He scores!
Oh, baby, Keith Tkachuk!
[Bissonnette] I would say the Tkachuks are
probably one of the biggest names
in hockey right now.
[announcer] Captain Coyote!
[Bissonnette] Starts with Keith,
who should be a Hall of Famer.
Over 500 goals as a forward.
But he was never able to hoist the Cup.
And then he gives birth to two boys.
Brady and Matthew are prototypical studs
in the National Hockey League right now.
[announcer] And they score!
[Blackburn]
I find it fascinating that both of them
are molded after their dad in that,
like, power forward style.
[announcer] Tkachuk comes right in front.
He's shooting, he scores!
Tkachuk-a-ching!
[Bissonnette]
If you had a "Build a player" option,
that's exactly who you would want.
They'll fight when they have to.
They'll get to the blue paint,
the hard areas.
They'll take that punishment
in order to score goals.
[Blackburn] They are so proud
to be the annoying thorn in your side.
There's just two things
that he wanted us to focus on.
That was: compete,
and be a good teammate.
If you do those two things,
you'll go as far as you can.
[announcer]
What a setting down there with his family.
Unbelievable.
[Tkachuk]
That was my dad's last game.
And we all went out there on the ice
and went for a hot lap with him.
[announcer]
Matthew, how about your dad?
He's huge, and he likes to go
in front of the net.
[crowd cheers]
He's, like, getting acknowledged
by the fans. It was great.
[announcer] I can't think of a better way
to end it than that.
It's big Walt.
Everybody starting to leave the rink.
There was only two people on the ice,
and it was me and him.
Still playing one-on-one
against each other, like, no net.
We would just chip it in the corner,
and we would go full out on each other.
-[Brady] Run at each other.
-[Matthew] Oh!
While we're out here,
why don't we get a little
Why don't I get you ready
for the summer here.
[Brady chuckles]
All right, we'll do nine holes to start,
and most likely it'll turn 18.
[Brady]
What a jerk No, the first one
-[Tkachuk] No, trust me
-[Brady] It went in.
-What do you mean? It was mid-left.
-[laughs]
Oh, yeah.
-Yes! Yes!
-No! You rode the Bullshit.
It was just competitive.
It's like, you know, as kids,
like, we weren't as, you know,
lovey-dovey with each other.
It was almost like we had
a built-in opponent.
-Fucking up my landscape.
-Yeah. It's all right.
-Okay
-You stink alright, you give up this hole.
I concede this hole.
[Brady]
You know, usually the older sibling
kind of takes it easy
and maybe gives a win once in a while.
But, uh, not Matthew.
He wanted to win
every single time we played,
and I think that's what made
kind of both of us who we are.
-[Brady] What a roll.
-[Tkachuk] Thank you.
This could be in, boys.
This could be
[Brady] Oh, man.
-Nice roll.
-[Tkachuk] Good hole.
[Brady] Yeah, you're a loser.
[both chuckle]
Get the fuck out of here with this shit.
Hey, Walter, it's pretty good.
Hey, save some for the fucking athletes.
What? I can't have a little
A little appetizer for dinner, you guys?
-Bastards!
-[Tkachuk laughs]
That's game. That's game, guys.
I'm dog shit.
[announcer] Nylander throws
the puck out for Knies.
And now Nylander, breakaway!
Nylander
scores!
And the Leafs are gonna force
Game 7 in Boston.
[broadcaster]
The pressure is on for Game 7.
Boston now looking to avoid
becoming the first team
in NHL, NBA, or MLB history
to blow 3-1 series leads
in back-to-back years.
[man 1]
Our eyes don't fool us.
Swayman is the better goalie
right now against the Leafs.
[man 2]
Ullmark, you got your shot last year.
You ride the hot goalie.
That's what Jeremy Swayman is right now.
[announcer 1]
Breakaway. Swayman, big stop!
Here's a chance shorthanded.
Stopped by Swayman.
And Bertuzzi is denied!
[announcer 2] Jeremy Swayman's
been almost unbeatable.
[announcer 3]
Here comes Tavares, winds.
[announcer 4]
Beautiful stop by Swayman.
Rescuing Boston time and time again.
Nylander stopped down low.
[Nylander] Oh, fuck!
[announcer]
If the Bruins do not win this series,
they will waste one of the great
performances in playoff goaltending
that we've seen.
[broadcaster] Jeremy Swayman,
he has been anointed the chosen one here.
He's played great, but it's irrelevant
if he doesn't show up in Game 7.
We're at the hotel.
Three-minute drive from the Garden.
I think the thought process on that
was just getting guys
away from all the distractions.
[Redmond]
Game 7 between Boston and Toronto.
This is about so much more
than just getting to the second round
for the Boston Bruins.
It's trying to avoid
becoming one of the biggest choke artists
in sports history.
No team has blown 3-1 leads
in back-to-back playoffs.
[announcer] Behind the net,
right beside the goalie.
They chop away at it.
It comes to Verhaeghe.
Turns, shoots, scores!
And the Panthers
have eliminated the Boston Bruins.
[Swayman] Even if it has
creeped into guys' minds,
it's not gonna be vocalized.
Why would we worry about something
that's happened in the past?
For me, all I care about
is the here and now,
and that's allowed me to to approach
this game with such gusto
and happiness and excitement,
because it's another opportunity.
For Jeremy Swayman,
I can't imagine the pressure.
We don't have to shy away from it.
There's a contract on the line.
I want to treat every game
as if it was my last
because you really don't know
what the hell could happen.
So I do whatever I can to not have regret
when I look myself in the mirror
after it all.
Yeah, I'm gonna be
a motherfucker in the net.
Like, I'm not gonna let anything go in.
But why wouldn't I just smile,
wink, and have fun?
[announcer 1] Toronto going on the attack
here in Game 7.
[announcer 2]
Trying to send Knies away.
Just out of the box,
and good work by Shattenkirk.
[whistle blows]
[referee] Hold on!
Listen, he got pushed in,
He's trying to fucking hold up.
[Swayman] Game 7,
I think it's the pinnacle of sports.
I've never won a Game 7 before.
[announcer] And it's DeBrusk
trying to come to the aid of McAvoy.
-Knies drops it back!
-[whistle blows]
A beautiful stop by Swayman.
Swayman has stopped just about everything
Toronto has thrown at him.
[Swayman]
My mindset, no matter what happens,
it's not over until it's over.
And not letting it phase me.
[announcer 1] Stunned by McAvoy.
Three seconds to go.
Oh, that's stopped!
That's stopped by Swayman!
[announcer 2]
And that's a brilliant reactionary save.
Left pad. Flashed out.
We go to overtime.
[announcer 1]
Swayman has stopped 170
of 179 shots he's faced in the series.
-[inaudible]
-[crowd] Let's go, Bruins!
[announcer] Hard to imagine
how Swayman can be any better.
But will it be enough for the Bruins
to move on to the second round?
[announcer 2] Game 7 overtime.
[player 1] Yeah!
-Let's go!
-[player 2] Here we go!
[player] Oh!
[man] Okay, way to hit! Way to hit!
[announcer 1] Marner in the forecheck.
Swayman just left the puck.
[player]
The fuck is that?
[announcer 1]
Almost a disaster for Swayman.
[player] Oh!
[announcer 1] A tip from Bertuzzi,
and Lindholm sends it down.
And now a race for the puck.
Pastrnak, he scores!
-[crowd cheers]
-[Swayman] Yeah, baby! Let's go!
[announcer 1] And the Bruins
survive and live another day,
thanks mostly to Jeremy Swayman.
[all cheering]
Fucking love you guys!
[man] Let's go, baby!
[Swayman] It took such a weight
off my shoulders for the time being
because it allowed me to experience
success in the playoffs
for the first time.
A little bit of success.
Not even close to what I'm aiming for.
But a little bit of success.
Now you know.
You know you can do it.
We know we can do it, right?
Congrats, boys. It was awesome to watch.
Good job, all right?
[players clapping]
He was the story of the series
for the Boston Bruins.
There's no question about it.
[woman] Can I please get a picture of you?
Please?
-All right.
-Thank you.
[Subban] He elevated his game,
and definitely to star status.
He's amongst the greatest goaltenders
in the game right now.
-I don't have any hands now. Thanks, bro.
-[man] Great game.
[Subban] Definitely deserves to be in that
group. There's no question about that.
Oh, man.
What the fuck, man?
[laughs]
Oh, my God.
[Bissonnette]
As well as he played in that round one,
Swayman is gonna have
his hands full in round two.
[announcer] Sergachev. Now Verhaeghe again
puts it to the net.
And they score!
Panthers win the series in five.
[Bissonnette] Because Tkachuk and the boys
are gonna be looking
to make his life a pain in the ass.
[Tkachuk] It's time, Dave.
[man] Oh.
[Tkachuk] All right, first topic.
Who are you voting for
in the election, and why?
-We're going right to that.
-[laughs]
[Tkachuk]
It's very challenging, the way we play.
Like, we don't play an easy style.
We don't take nights off.
Kind of like balls to the wall
each and every night.
So it's rewarding in the end.
Nobody wants to play against you,
but it's definitely a taxing style.
So since I've been in Florida,
it feels like one long season,
with going so far last year
and ultimately not winning
and having unfinished business.
[announcer] The Vegas Golden Knights
win the Stanley Cup in 2023.
[inhales sharply]
[sighs] Oh
[inhales sharply]
[groans]
Just fantastic having your camera
right here because normally,
he'd be off the table.
[Tkachuk groaning]
[Tkachuk] This is the best time of year.
We're really looking forward
to this playoffs for sure.
All right, Dave, attaboy.
-Good sesh, man. Thank you.
-Have a night. Let's go.
[announcer] And welcome to the rematch
of last year's first round shocker.
Boston Bruins and the Florida Panthers.
[crowd] Let's go, Panthers!
[Bissonnette] The best thing about
incorporating new teams in the league,
you know, we have the traditional teams
in the traditional markets
with their rivalries.
Well, now there's new ones stemming.
[announcer] Laid him out.
I love the physicality of the series.
[Redmond]
When you blow a 3-1 series lead
and you have to face that same team
the next year,
there's no love lost.
[announcer]
Takes a huge hit from Marchand!
[Swayman] Fuck off.
I have to make sure I'm unflappable
because all the stuff between whistles,
that's hearsay, that's gone.
What I focus on is the play
and the next shot.
[announcer] Here we go again.
Things are boiling over
with the Panthers and Bruins.
And we knew this was gonna come,
with the history of these two teams
last season.
I definitely don't like them.
-[announcer] We are underway.
-[player] Come on, boys!
[Blackburn] Game 1, the Bruins came out
and punched the Panthers in the mouth.
[announcer] Shot Scores!
The rebound Scores!
Shoots Scores!
[man]
Come on, boys, sharpen up!
[announcer] The Boston Bruins
take a 5-1 victory.
[Blackburn] Boy, did Florida
ever bounce back in Games 2 and 3.
[announcer 1]
Forsling with a shot. Scores!
And they're taking Swayman out of the net,
putting Ullmark in.
Plays to the center, and he scores!
[announcer 2] Florida Panthers,
they're just gonna have their way
with the Boston Bruins.
[Blackburn] In the first three games,
not only did they smoke
the Bruins on the scoreboard,
you also started to see them
get under the skin of Boston.
[announcer 1] Whoa! What a hit!
[announcer 2]
It's like varsity versus JV.
[Redmond]
And that was just the beginning.
[Tkachuk] They're shitting, boys!
[Redmond] Because the hate would amplify
times a thousand.
[announcer 1] Mishandle the puck.
Aimed at Bennett.
Dumped in off the stick of Tkachuk.
And Marchand got dumped.
And he hasn't gotten up yet.
[Montgomery]
For him to throw that little punch.
He's sneaky and he's nasty.
He's a nasty, nasty man.
I did lost a little bit of respect
for that.
You're either the dog or the hydrant,
you know?
Which one do want to be?
[announcer]
The Panthers take a 2-1 series lead
with a 6-2 win on the road in Boston.
[Ken] When I look at him,
it's the same joy and excitement
and, you know, pride as a father
as if he was playing
Pee Wee and Squirt back in Alaska.
I was just as proud of him then,
except now he's just wearing bigger pads.
And it's just louder. I don't have to buy
the pads anymore, either.
That makes it a little more fun.
[Tkachuk] Obviously,
Swayman was their MVP last round.
He played unreal.
He does talk a lot, though, during it.
He's an emotional goalie.
[Swayman] That's what makes playoffs
so special, is the emotions.
And it makes it really special
when you become successful
against those kind of guys.
[Ken] We've learned to take "nervous"
and change that word
and make it "excitement."
That kind of makes
the heart beat a little less.
If he could handle brown bears of Alaska,
he could handle Matthew Tkachuk.
[laughs]
With the proper preparation.
It's all preparation.
[announcer] Time for Game 4.
And we're looking for a little euphoria.
Tensions have gone to a different level
with all the diss tracks
back and forth between the two fan bases
over the last 36 hours.
We are at a point where the attrition
can be seen on the players' faces.
Land of the free ♪
[announcer] Montour, behind the net.
Got it around the boards.
Lohrei kept it in.
Here's DeBrusk trying to get it in front,
but off the skate of Lomberg.
Taken away by Barkov. Knocked him over,
a big hit on Reinhart.
[Tkachuk] Oh, no.
[Swayman] Stick, baby. Stick on him.
Good push there. Good push there.
[announcer 1] Ekblad, long pass.
Connects with Tarasenko.
He's in alone!
Stopped by Swayman!
[announcer 2] That's a big save
to start this one off for Swayman.
[player]
Skate! Skate! They got one!
[announcer 1]
The physicality now picks up.
[announcer 1] And now the Bruins
are gonna go to the box.
-[player 1] Good draw, good draw.
-[player 2] We got 'em.
[announcer 1]
Tkachuk down for Van Riemsdyk.
Back to the net.
DeBrusk has got it out front.
Pastrnak scores!
[Tkachuk]
Fucking block that shit. Fuck me!
[player]
Come on man, let's fucking go! Whoo!
[announcer 2]
Fifteen shots on net.
Swayman was perfect in the first period.
And that's exactly
what they needed from him.
[Maurice] We never have anybody
at the fucking net.
So the puck, you finally get a lane,
you shot, there's nobody there,
it's not valuable.
If you stand in front of the net
and we have control of the puck,
we got somebody in that fucking front.
Hit hard at that net front,
we will get rewarded.
[announcer 2]
Swayman has a clear path
and a clear vision on every shot
that's coming to him.
You couldn't say that in the other game.
[announcer 1] Yeah, and trying
to get it to Swayman is Tkachuk.
[Tkachuk] Fuck off!
[announcer 2]
That's not the first time those two guys
have had a conversation in this series.
He draws a lot of penalties,
and he wants to get in there,
and he can be an irritant.
[Maurice] Go to net, big man!
[Maurice]
Come on. Come on, buddy. Come on.
-We got to get that motherfucker!
-[player] Right on net.
[announcer 1] Swayman, the save.
He'll cover it up and hold onto it.
Carlo goes out for the check
in the crease.
[Swayman]
What a fucking player you are.
He has no problem
getting in goalies' faces,
but I don't think too many goalies
want it back.
So I ask for it back, obviously.
[announcer 1] Trying to get it up front.
Verhaeghe looks to center.
[Swayman]
Huh? Fuck off! Come on!
I want to make sure
that everyone knows in this league
that I'm not gonna allow them
to be in front of my crease
without getting contested.
[announcer 1]
Tkachuk coming around to Swayman.
Back behind the play.
[Tkachuk] I think the best way
to get under someone's skin
is by being in their face the whole night.
And when they're their most pissed off
is when you're scoring
right in front of them.
[announcer 2] There are more games
going on within the game
in this series than I've seen
in a long time.
[announcer 1] Playing across for Bennett.
Back for Ekman-Larsson.
Tips it over. Tarasenko a drive.
Blocked in front, bouncing puck
Scores! Bennett bangs it in.
[Pastrnak] Yeah! Hey!
Are you fucking kidding me already?
You gotta be kidding me.
[Tkachuk] Hey, they're challenging.
[Maurice] He's challenging the push
into the goalie.
We pushed their guy into the goalie.
[announcer 2] How could you miss this?
He shoves them into our goaltender.
That doesn't allow Swayman
to be able to operate in his crease.
Upon further review,
it is determined there was no
goaltender interference on the play.
[crowd cheers]
[announcer 1] He shoves him.
And Montgomery is upset.
He wants to know
how that can be allowed to happen.
[Pastrnak] Fucking never seen
something like that!
That's a dirty team,
you know, and hard to play against.
[Tkachuk] Fuck, yeah.
[announcer 2] It's 2-2,
and Florida is now in the driver's seat.
[announcer 1]
Tkachuk gets it up to the Bruins' line.
Barkov follows up, goes to the net.
Scores!
[Barkov] Yes! Yes!
-Yeah, baby! Yeah!
-[announcer 1] And that'll do it.
The Panthers rallied back
to win it 3 to 2.
And they'll take the 3-1 series lead
home to Florida.
Whoo!
[Tkachuk] I'm not a huge goalie fan
unless their my goalie,
so I think it's my job to be around their
crease and have their goalie not like me.
But I wasn't a huge fan
of the slash on the knee.
Ah, it's his way of trying
to stay in the game and get in the game.
But we got the last laugh tonight,
which is good.
I don't think there's anything
you could have done about that.
Your motion and your movements
were so efficient.
You didn't waste any movement.
Hey, have a good one.
You didn't waste any movement.
[Swayman] My dad, he's been such
a driving force in my life.
He was that crazy dad at the rink
knowing that I was gonna make the NHL.
He just knew, he said.
"I'll do everything to help him get there,
but he's going to make it."
Thanks, man. Appreciate it.
-[man] We'll get 'em.
-[Swayman] Damn right.
He knew that if you're a competitive
athlete in everything you do,
you're not gonna let anyone beat you.
At the same time,
you're gonna bring everyone with you.
And he was so good about that
because he was a physician,
and his goal in life was to help others.
[exhales]
That's ravioli.
-[Ken] You don't have paper plates.
-No, you can use the regular ones.
I guess we'll be doing dishes.
[Swayman] How many beers are in there?
This is exciting.
[Ken]
What are you talking about? I rented this.
Don't break anything. It's all rental.
[Swayman]
You got to try the eggplant.
You might move to Boston.
It's so good.
It is really, really amazing to have,
you know, everyone in here.
I haven't had this for months,
so it means the world, guys.
Auntie Jill, Uncle Dino.
They're from Colorado.
And then Dylan, all my cousins here.
And it's really cool to have you guys here
because, like,
we've been together since
-[Dino] You were born.
-I know.
[Dino] It's a dream come true.
[Swayman] We were just playing
street hockey in your basement yesterday.
You know, we were just talking about how
you have your name on our basement wall.
[Swayman] Oh, yeah.
-You remember that?
-[Swayman] 100%. And now we're here.
[producer] 41 shots saved.
How do you feel about how you played?
Like shots are
I can have 50 shots, 60 shots,
but the reality is that we lost 3 to 2.
And two goals
that I really want back, and
I'm not really
gonna accept that.
[producer] Did it cross your mind that
that might've been your last game
as a Bruin at TD Garden?
No.
Because
I can't think about that.
You know, I don't
All I care about is winning games
at the current moment.
Everything else will take care of itself.
[Blackburn] The reason Jeremy Swayman's
future is uncertain with the Bruins
is because he had to go through
arbitration last summer.
I think you'd be hard-pressed
to find many guys
who enjoyed the arbitration process.
It's kind of designed
to hurt people's feelings.
The player tells the team
what he thinks he's worth.
Usually comes in a little bit higher.
But on the other side,
the team essentially
has to lowball the player
because they know that they're gonna
have to meet in the middle.
And then a neutral arbitrator
then determines
the player's salary for the next year.
[Subban]
Yeah, I've been down that road before.
It's a tough process to go through.
That was the pivot moment for me
that it is a business.
[reporter]
You hear some horror stories
that people get feelings hurt
and everything.
But how'd it go for you?
It wasn't a process
I wanted to go through,
uh, but I understand that it's a business.
When you go into that room,
you don't say a word.
My arbitrator started first,
said all these great things.
The arbitrator on their side,
their job is to help the management side
and to rip players.
Hearing that you're not worthy
of what you think you're worthy of,
that was hard to hear.
You don't forget what was said.
I wrote them down,
and I looked at them the other day.
And I had a couple of checkmarks.
My biggest knock
was I wasn't trustworthy in playoffs.
Check.
[announcer 1] And Jeremy Swayman,
no more than two goals allowed
in his first seven starts
in the postseason,
but now 12 goals allowed
in his last three.
[announcer 2] He's gonna have to be at his
best, there's no question about that.
Establish himself
as the number one guy here in Boston.
Has to prove it tonight.
[Tkachuk] All right, let get going.
[announcer 1] Reinhart.
Stood up by Ekblad.
Reinhart with room, shorthanded.
Shoots. Save made by Swayman.
He got it with the glove.
[Tkachuk] Come on!
[announcer 1] Luostarinen moves in.
Shoots. Off the glove of Swayman.
Barkov settles it down. Verhaeghe shoots.
Glove save made by Swayman.
Come on!
[announcer 2] Florida's had
a couple great opportunities,
but Swayman just looks calm,
relaxed in net right now.
Nothing is fazing him.
You fuckers, pay attention!
Nobody's hit a fucking thing!
You get a 3-1 lead,
and now you want to make plays.
Fuck the plays!
Pound their fucking D
so in Game 7 they got nothing left!
[announcer 1] And they are going wild
here in Sunrise with 2:02 to go.
And the Panthers time out.
[crowd cheering]
Play to Barkov in the corner.
It ends up on the stick of Verhaeghe.
Wrist shot into traffic.
Between-the-legs try for Montour!
-And it's stopped by Swayman!
-[Tkachuk] Unreal.
[announcer 2] Not sure how Swayman
even saw that shot coming from Montour
with all the traffic in front of him.
Jeremy Swayman
has certainly shown up here in Game 5.
[Tkachuk] Get going. Let's go.
[announcer 1] Thirteen seconds to go.
It's out in front. Pushed wide.
[Tkachuk] Come on!
Check on Montour.
Centering pass! Reinhart!
Stopped by Swayman!
Two seconds to go.
Down to the final seconds.
And that will do it!
Jeremy Swayman
with one last crucial save on Reinhart!
[announcer 2] Save to save their season,
what that was right there.
[announcer 1]
The Bruins live to fight another day.
-Yeah!
-Yeah!
Fuck, yeah. That was a great feeling.
Not allowing myself to get engulfed.
And it's a one-year deal.
If you don't perform this year,
you're not gonna have a contract.
You're not gonna live up
to all these knocks
that they're thinking about you.
And it was pretty special.
I'm just so proud of this group.
So proud of how we responded.
And now we get to go back to Boston
and bring Florida with us.
[broadcaster] For a couple days now,
you know you're gonna
get asked questions like,
"Is Boston gonna do to us
what we did to them last year?"
But the one guy who hasn't really
made an impression yet
on this series is Matthew Tkachuk.
And it's now his time to do it.
[Tkachuk] All right, let's get this thing
fucking going.
I wouldn't say we were off our game.
They just were sharper.
If I see something,
I have no problem saying it.
Oh, are you fucking kidding me?
Use your teammates.
Fucking sewer pass, Bark.
It's unreal how that works.
[Tkachuk]
I'm never gonna tell somebody something
that I'm not gonna go out there
and do myself.
So I expect a lot out of this group,
and I expect a lot out of myself.
On both. That's on me. On both.
One try.
[producer] Do you worry about
Swayman's form at all?
[Tkachuk]
Yeah, he was good last night.
We really have to get to him like we did
in Game 2, 3, and 4.
I'd say, the best way
to get into a goalie's head
is have somebody in front of him all night
where he can't see the puck.
We got to do a way better job
of getting in front of him.
So tired.
[man] Talk about raining on our parade,
huh?
[Tkachuk] I'm gonna have to grind it out
on the way home.
[man] You're gonna have to what?
-Grind it out in my golf cart.
-Yeah, you are.
Wish me luck.
[broadcaster] I don't know how Boston's
gonna get by Florida, guys.
It's on Swayman.
That's the only way they can win.
I have Boston in seven,
just because I think Swayman's gonna
come in and steal the series.
[crowd] Let's go, Bruins!
[rhythmic clapping]
[announcer] It's Game 6,
and we're back in Boston,
a city well known
for its history with rats.
But it's a different kind of rat
that has been gnawing away
at this organization
for the past couple of years.
A Southern Florida rat.
Here we go.
[announcer 2]
They got a brick wall in net.
He's been the best player for the Bruins
in this series, no doubt about it.
Reinhart across, and a save from Swayman.
[Tkachuk]
No, no, we can't do that!
[announcer]
And that is a very, very big save.
His first real test of the hockey game.
[Swayman] I just was embracing it.
And if this was my last game,
I wanted to make sure
I did it with all the effort I had
and no matter what it took.
[announcer]
Stopped and covered by Jeremy Swayman
swallowed up by Swayman
an alert Swayman save
picked up off the ice by Swayman
Swayman, he's locked in now
and a stop from Jeremy Swayman
Swayman Swayman
[Tkachuk] You all right? You all right?
You okay?
Never seen a captain quit on his team.
[Pastrnak] Don't even listen to that.
Being a young player in the NHL,
my first three, four, five years
playing in playoffs,
I think I was more the guy
that was trying not to be the guy
to make the mistake,
and realizing that now,
I can't believe
I allowed myself to do that.
Net! Net! Net! Net!
I need that puck at the net.
So I've completely changed my mindset.
I wouldn't say
that I'm extraordinary at one thing,
but I hope I am known
to be a terrible person to play against.
I'm going. I'm going.
Fuck.
[announcer 2]
Is there gonna be a delayed minor penalty?
[announcer 1]
There is. On the Boston Bruins.
[Pastrnak] That's such a dive.
Such a fucking dive!
[Tkachuk]
Hey, way to fucking push and shove!
Fuck, yeah!
[referee] You got a power play
and he knows it.
[Tkachuk] Yeah, he's an idiot.
[announcer 1]
You don't win in the playoffs
unless you're willing
to sacrifice yourself,
and both these teams are doing it.
[Swayman]
I was so addicted to that flow state.
I knew how to get there
because that's where I find
I'm most enjoying the moment
and I'm playing at my best.
[Tkachuk] Down! Down! Down!
[announcer 1]
Tkachuk transitioning ahead.
So far, just one goal,
four points in this series
after being a dominant force
in their seven-game win
over the Boston Bruins
in the first round last year.
[Tkachuk] Net! Net, if you can.
[announcer]
Verhaeghe almost had it.
Tkachuk rips it on goal.
Gloved and held by Swayman.
[Tkachuk] Fuck me!
He just got hot at the right time.
But we wear our teams down.
And the pressure got to them.
[announcer]
Marchand, off for DeBrusk.
Back to McAvoy. McAvoy walking in.
It's off Tkachuk! Bobrovsky down!
Puck free.
[Swayman] That's a big-time stop.
[announcer] Oh, and that's a scramble
there in front of the Florida net.
It's taken by Matthew Tkachuk.
Tkachuk kneels back.
Hits Forsling up ice.
[Swayman]
I was so in the moment.
I wasn't thinking about the outcome,
I wasn't thinking about the overtime,
I wasn't thinking about anything else.
[announcer]
Dropped it for Lundell, with a shot.
[Swayman] It was just another shot,
and make sure
I was in a position to save it.
[announcer] Swayman, the save.
[Swayman] Put in a good rebound spot,
and it was really just a whack.
[announcer] Rebound! Scores!
[Swayman] And I didn't
see it through my defender's legs.
When you don't see a release,
it's hard for a goalie to stop that puck.
[announcer]
The Panthers have stunned the crowd.
[Swayman] It was one of those where
it's like, are you kidding me?
[Tkachuk] Fuck yes! Yes! Yes!
[announcer] Matthew Tkachuk celebrating
as the Florida Panthers,
for the second straight season,
will play in the Eastern Conference final.
[Swayman] I just felt like I let them down
in a way,
because I could have stopped
that last shot.
[crowd cheering]
In the night while my body
Slept in my bed ♪
[announcer]
These two teams will shake hands right now
with all the animosity
and all the stuff that has gone on.
[Tkachuk]
Good job, boys. Good job. Fuck yeah.
One hundred miles an hour
In the fast lane ♪
[Swayman]
Even though he's a pest to play against,
you respect a guy like that
because that's what makes these games
so incredible to win, and series,
because over a series
you can eliminate players.
-Fuck yes! I fucking love you Bobby!
-Fuck yes!
And he's a guy that didn't allow himself
to be eliminated from the series.
And I think that's something
I could tip my cap to.
Good series. Good job, good job.
[announcer 1] Jeremy Swayman,
he's the story for the Boston Bruins.
[announcer 2] Certainly some
question marks going forward.
He gave them every position
to be here in Game 6.
[Swayman]
He probably doesn't want to hear this,
but I definitely look up to him, you know,
and the fact that he wills himself
and his team to win games.
And I want to be like that.
Unreal, brother, hey?
-Fun to watch. Thank you.
-Hard to go against.
[crowd] Swayman. Swayman.
Swayman. Swayman.
[announcer 1] Those two will battle again.
[crowd] Swayman. Swayman. Swayman.
[Swayman] I was just thinking
about that jersey.
Like, is it the last time?
You know, that's when I was like, whoa.
And you're skating around the Garden,
you're looking up,
and you're hearing your name chanted
and it's like, whoa, like
Fuck.
[crowd cheering]
[Tkachuk] Saved our best for last.
[all cheering]
Saved our best for last.
[Swayman] I just want everyone to know
that I'm a relentless competitor.
It's hard to do, and you did
fucking awesome.
[Swayman]
It's disgusting to think about,
that I'm not gonna raise a Stanley Cup
over my head this year.
But the way I will get to do that
is to turn the page
and take positives
and start working towards next year.
[all cheering]
My heart does beat
Like a Cherokee drum ♪
Fuck, I'm gonna miss you guys.
Fuck.
A hundred miles an hour ♪
[Swayman] I mean, I don't want it to end.
It could be the last time
I wear a Bruins jersey.
And I know I'm gonna do
everything in my power
to be Bruin for a long time.
[Tkachuk] Great job, boys.
[Swayman] As a kid growing up in Alaska,
this was in my wildest fucking dreams.
I never want it to end,
and I'm just so grateful
that the sun's gonna rise tomorrow
and there's another opportunity
to get better.
Whatever I can do to help this team win,
I know everything else
will take care of itself.
-On to the next one.
-[all cheer]
[intense music playing]