Will it be Swayman or Ullmark for Bruins in Game 1 vs. Panthers?

BOSTON — The Bruins are on to a new playoff series, set for a rematch with the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Is there any way the team could be on a new goalie too?

It’s hard to see the Bruins going away from Jeremy Swayman, who was outstanding in net and Boston’s best player for six of their seven games against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round. Without Swayman and his 1.49 GAA and .950 save percentage against the Leafs, the Bruins likely aren’t in Florida on Monday.

But then there is Linus Ullmark, the reigning Vezina Trophy winner who is just sitting and waiting on the bench for his opportunity. The Bruins went into the playoffs with a goalie rotation, which lasted only three games, as Ullmark appeared in Game 2 against the Leafs and then watched Swayman do his thing for the rest of the series.

But that rotation might be back this series. At least that’s what the Bruins are saying — again — and will likely keep saying until they have to name a Game 1 netminder.

“It’s been a strength of our team,” GM Don Sweeney said of Boston’s goaltending tandem on Sunday. “Jeremy got the momentum on his side in this series and ran with it. We talked about that and how we had a plan in place, and how performance and results were going to have us react accordingly. We’ll continue to do that.

“We’re going to put both players in the best situation we possibly can to help our team win and move forward each and every game,” added Sweeney. “We’re confident in both goaltenders.”

And while sitting Swayman may seem like a wild overthink, there is some merit to making a change for Monday night’s Game 1 and potentially rolling with a rotation throughout the series.

While the Panthers were a nightmare for the Bruins last postseason, Boston was a perfect 4-0-0 against Florida during the regular season. Ullmark was their best goalie against Florida, going 3-0 with a 1.62 GAA and .947 save percentage against the Panthers.

And Ullmark has had Florida’s number throughout his career, touting a 12-3-1 record with a .929 save percentage and a 2.47 goals-against average against the Panthers. He’s won more games over Florida than any other team in his career.

In his lone start against the Panthers during the regular season, Swayman allowed three goals off 21 shots in a 4-3 comeback victory by Boston in Sunshine, Florida. He lost both of his regular-season starts against Florida last season, and then took the loss in Game 7 of their first-round matchup when Jim Montgomery made a late-series switch in net.

The Bruins head coach didn’t sound like he was set to make another change for Game 1, based on his high praise of Swayman.

“He was our best player in the series, it’s not close,” Montgomery said of Swayman after Saturday night’s Game 7 win over the Maple Leafs. “His confidence and his swagger, I think it permeated through the group. Took a while, but he got there.”

Now that Swayman is “there,” why mess with it? But if Swayman is going to get a night off, Game 1 is probably the best option. If he plays Monday night, it will be his sixth game in the last 13 days, with a whole lot of travel mixed in. Fatigue could eventually set in with the 25-year-old.

So don’t be surprised if the Bruins do make a change in net for Game 1, or once again start a series with their goalie rotation in place. We should get a better idea of ​​Boston’s plan in net after the team’s morning skate, but they’ll likely keep everyone guessing — including the Panthers — for as long as they possibly can.