On Sunday night, Swayman finally got to scratch that itch. And on the biggest stage possible to this point, as Swayman and Lightning netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy dropped the gloves for a goalie fight in the 2026 Stadium Series game at Raymond James Stadium.
The trouble started when Tampa Bay’s Brandon Hagel stuck his stick between Swayman’s legs trying to pry a puck loose, which prompted Swayman to go after him. And as the sides engaged in a full-on brawl, Vasilevskiy came calling in defense of his teammate.
And Swayman was not going to let the officials say no.
It was about as respectful a fight as you could’ve envisioned between the two, and came with each player giving the other a friendly pat after the scrap. It was (obviously) the first goalie fight since the NHL decided to bring its game outdoors with either the Winter Classic, Stadium Series, or Heritage Classic.
And, fittingly, it was a Bruin who accomplished that, as the Bruins were also the first team to fight in a Winter Classic when Shawn Thornton fought Daniel Carcillo in the 2010 Winter Classic at Fenway Park.
For the Bruins, it was the first goalie fight since Tim Thomas fought Carey Price in a Bruins-Canadiens tilt in 2011.