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Matt Poitras keeps the puck in the Bruins’ zone despite pressure from Utah’s Dylan Guenther (11) and Logan Cooley (92).Matthew J. Lee\/Globe Staff<\/p>\nJeremy Swayman stopped 36 of 37 shots, including 17 in the first period when he broke the Mammoth\u2019s will, stopping a plethora of pucks that appeared destined to find the back of the net. <\/p>\n
Among his gems were a pair of point-blankers on Olympic teammate Vincent Trocheck, who was shaking his head in dismay. <\/p>\n
Even trailing, 3-0, Utah carried the play for most of the first 20 minutes. Swayman, however, simultaneously had his team\u2019s back while breaking Utah\u2019s. <\/p>\n
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As happy as Marco Sturm was with the win, he acknowledged giving up that many quality chances can be a recipe for disaster.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a tough question because yes, there were a few times I wasn\u2019t happy, but when you [give] up goals, that\u2019s when it usually happens,\u201d said the Bruins coach. \u201cI got to be really, really careful. Sway was great. We gave up a little bit too much for my taste … but again, it just automatically, as soon as you\u2019re up three, four goals, all of a sudden the details were missing, you play a little bit looser.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt drives me crazy sometimes, trust me. But yeah, a win is a win and I\u2019m very happy the way we bounced back.\u201d<\/p>\n
Swayman said he expected nothing less from the Mammoth, a high-octane team that specializes in gaining inside ice and getting off high-quality chances.<\/p>\n
Seeing so much early rubber helped get him into the flow.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s nice to see some early and make some saves,\u201d he said. \u201cI think they did a great job of penetrating and [getting] on the inside and they\u2019re a high offensive team. It\u2019s what we expected and they delivered.\u201d<\/p>\n
So, too, did Swayman.<\/p>\n
Matt Poitras keeps the puck in the Bruins’ zone despite pressure from Utah’s Dylan Guenther (11) and Logan Cooley (92).Matthew J. Lee\/Globe Staff<\/p>\n
Other observations from a night of firsts:<\/p>\n
Simmering Pasta: The Bruins captain had his best game of the season, blistering home a pair of power-play goals and setting up two more \u2014 including another one with the man advantage.<\/p>\n
Boston\u2019s power play entered 0 for 10, but converted on 3 of 4 against the stunned Mammoth.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, we worked on it and we got better,\u201d said Pastrnak. \u201cThat\u2019s the beauty of hockey. One night it doesn\u2019t go your way, next night you are nearly perfect. So that\u2019s the important thing to remember, what we\u2019ve done right. We know we are all good players in there and we proved it last year. So just going to do it again and make sure to be direct and recover the pucks and jumps because the penalty kill is so good in this league and most of the opportunities come on the second and third [efforts] when the penalty killers are a little tired. So, it\u2019s important to be recovering pucks.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pastrnak, incidentally, has 422 regular-season goals, tied with his buddy Brad Marchand for fourth on Boston\u2019s all-time list.<\/p>\n
Man up: The penalty kill was perfect, squashing all seven Utah power plays. The Mammoth came in white hot, having converted 8 of 13 on the season. The Bruins\u2019 structure was sound, they got in passing lanes, and they were hard on the clears. And, of course, they had Swayman, who made 11 saves on the power play.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think patience and really selfless efforts,\u201d said Swayman of the key to the kill. \u201cUnderstanding that blocking shots is truly preventing Grade A [chances], if not goals. And obviously just communicating with each other and trusting each other on different plays and bypasses. And I think the guys just did an excellent job of being a unit of four and outworking their five.\u201d<\/p>\n
Breaking through: It was the first goal of the season for all five Bruins scorers \u2014 Casey Mittelstadt, Pastrnak, Mason Lohrei, Geekie, and Poitras.<\/p>\n
In addition, Frederic Brunet earned his first career point \u2014 an assist on Pastrnak\u2019s first goal. It was an excellent play as Brunet deked a pair of Utahns before dishing to Pastrnak.<\/p>\n
\u201cBruno made a heck of a play on my goal,\u201d said Pastrnak.<\/p>\n
Youth is served: Poitras, Brunet, and James Hagens (assist on Mittelstadt\u2019s goal) all contributed. It\u2019s a positive sign for a veteran team trying to integrate some young blood.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s fun. It\u2019s important. They\u2019re a big part of our team and we need them, and as older guys, we need to be there for them and give them as much experience as we can so they can elevate their game every single day,\u201d said Pastrnak.<\/p>\n
Jim McBride can be reached at james.mcbride@globe.com<\/a>. Follow him @globejimmcbride<\/a>.<\/p>\n