Bruins beat Devils, 3-0, as Jeremy Swayman logs his third shutout of the season

BOSTON -- Usually, a team's first game back home after a lengthy road trip is a recipe for a letdown. But that was not the case for the Boston Bruins on Monday, thanks in large part to goaltender Jeremy Swayman.

Swayman was a wall in net for Boston against the New Jersey Devils on Monday, stopping all 31 shots that went his way in a 3-0 Bruins' victory at TD Garden. The Bruins improved to 26-8-9 with the matinee win, and are now tied the Vancouver Canucks for the most points in the NHL with 61.

Monday's game remained scoreless after 20 minutes of play, after a James Van Riemsdyk goal was taken off the board for Boston following a questionable offsides review in the first period. The Bruins put 16 shots on goal to the Devils' nine in the first frame, but had nothing to show for it.

That changed quickly in the second period thanks to Charlie Coyle. The Weymouth native put the Bruins on top just 30 seconds into the period, sending a wrister by New Jersey's Nico Dawes for his 15th goal of the season. David Pastrnak (35) and Brad Marchand (21) picked up assists on Coyle's tally. 

Boston improved to 18-3-5 when scoring first this season with Monday's win.

The Devils were the aggressors in the second frame, but Swayman was stellar in net for Boston. The goaltender made 10 saves in the period, including a nice kick save off a point-break look by Nathan Bastian in the final minute. Nico Hischier fed his winger from behind the net for a great scoring chance, but Swayman was there to send it away. 

Pastrnak doubled Boston's lead early in the third period with the Bruins on the power play. Charlie McAvoy fed him with a beautiful no-look pass for a one-timer, and Pastrnak sniped one by Dawes for his team-leading 26th goal of the season.

With a secondary assist on Pasta's goal, Marchand now has five multi-assist games for Boston this season. 

Trent Frederic added an empty-net goal with 1:15 to go to make it a 3-0 game. Frederic is up to 13 goals on the season, after he scored a career-high 17 goals for the Bruins last season.

That was more than enough for Swayman, who logged his third shutout of the season on Monday. He made a dozen saves in the third period, including three over the final minute, to preserve his shutout. 

After losing three straight games -- two in overtime and one in a shootout -- the Bruins are now on a two-game win streak. Boston will next host the Avalanche on Thursday night, when the B's look to avenge last week's 4-3 shootout loss in Colorado.