Swayman, Bruins outlast Maple Leafs with shootout win

Goalie Jeremy Swayman stopped 33 shots as the Boston Bruins outlasted the Toronto Maple Leafs for a 3-2 shootout win, improving to 9-0-1 to start the season.

Goals from Pavel Zacha and Jake DeBrusk put the Maple Leafs down 2-0, but Toronto’s stars responded, as Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner capitalized to even the score.

William Nylander continued his torrid stretch to the new campaign with an assist as the winger has registered at least one point in every game played this season, extending the streak to 10 games.

A Nylander two-minute penalty in overtime didn’t lead to a goal as Maple Leafs penalty killers played responsibly enough to keep it squared, leading to a shootout.

Charlie Coyle and DeBrusk would beat Ilya Samsonov, while Swayman shut the door on Nylander and Matthews en route to the win.

Samsonov, who has struggled this season with a .871 save percentage across six starts, was terrific for the Maple Leafs, stopping 38 of 40 shots (.950 save percentage).

The 26-year-old entered the year as the starter but has since ceded playing time to Joseph Woll, who has played well to date. It’s unclear who will be between the pipes next time out.

Boston is once again on an impressive streak to begin the season after the Bruins started last year 10-1, and were 20-3 at one point. The Bruins set many additional records during the 2022-2023 season, including the most consecutive home wins to start the year, the fastest team to reach both 80 and 100 points, and the fastest team to reach 50 wins.

Toronto is now winless in its last three games, with an overtime loss to Nashville last weekend and a 4-1 defeat at the hands of the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday.

The Maple Leafs will host the Buffalo Sabres at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday.