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01x03 - An Education

Episode transcripts for the TV show, "Faceoff: Inside the NHL". Aired: October 4, 2024.*
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Unprecedented, unfiltered look into the lives of the greatest hockey players in the NHL chasing the hardest trophy to win in sports: the Stanley Cup.

01x03 - An Education

Post by bunniefuu »

[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

f*ck this!

then you're not the guy.

[player] It's our f*cking 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 f*cking 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 f*cking 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 f*cking player you are.

You might be worse than your brother.

And he's an as*h*le in all the ways

that you want him to be an as*h*le.

[Tkachuk] You'll be f*cking

washing my car next year.

You'll be working for me.

Shut up!

[Subban] I wouldn't call him an as*h*le.

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 sh*t.

[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 a*s 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 g*n

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] f*cking 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 f*cking 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 f*cking 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 f*ck 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 sh**ting, 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.

-f*cking 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 f*ck out of here with this sh*t.

Hey, Walter, it's pretty good.

Hey, save some for the f*cking athletes.

What? I can't have a little

A little appetizer for dinner, you guys?

-b*stards!

-[Tkachuk laughs]

That's game. That's game, guys.

I'm dog sh*t.

[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, f*ck!

[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 m*therf*cker 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 f*cking 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 f*ck 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]

f*cking 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 f*ck, 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 a*s.

[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 ba*ls 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] f*ck 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 sh1tting, 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]

f*cking block that sh*t. f*ck me!

[player]

Come on man, let's f*cking 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 f*cking 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 f*cking 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] f*ck 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 m*therf*cker!

-[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 f*cking 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? f*ck 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 f*cking 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] f*cking never seen

something like that!

That's a dirty team,

you know, and hard to play against.

[Tkachuk] f*ck, 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 f*ck, pay attention!

Nobody's hit a f*cking thing!

You get a 3-1 lead,

and now you want to make plays.

f*ck the plays!

Pound their f*cking 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!

f*ck, 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

f*cking 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 f*cking kidding me?

Use your teammates.

f*cking 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.

f*ck.

[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 f*cking dive!

[Tkachuk]

Hey, way to f*cking push and shove!

f*ck, 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] f*ck 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] f*ck 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. f*ck 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.

-f*ck yes! I f*cking love you Bobby!

-f*ck 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

f*ck.

[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

f*cking 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 ♪

f*ck, I'm gonna miss you guys.

f*ck.

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 f*cking 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]