Jeremy Swayman gets the crease Thursday, and Marco Sturm is sticking with the same lineup for a Bruins club still pressing in the Atlantic race.

That decision says plenty. Boston just beat Dallas 6-3, and Sturm isn't touching a group that finally looked fast off the rush and sharp around the blue line.

Swayman has earned that call. He sits at 30-15-4 with a .907 save percentage, and Boston is asking him to hold the crease steady with the calendar tightening.

The standings make the spot clear. The Bruins are 43-24-8 with 94 points, good for fourth in the Atlantic, so this isn't about coasting into spring.

Florida is sitting at 36-35-3 with 75 points, which changes the feel of this matchup. The Panthers aren't chasing Boston in the table, but they're still a nasty road test in Sunrise.

What matters more for Boston is the traffic around them. Buffalo has 100 points, Tampa Bay has 98, and Montreal has 96, which leaves the Bruins needing every clean result they can bank.

That's why Sturm's choice lands as a coach decision first and a goalie note second. He saw a group produce Tuesday, and he wants the same bench rhythm back at puck drop.

Sturm leans on stability with no lineup shakeup

Keeping the rest of the lineup intact also tells you Boston likes where its game is trending. No late shuffle, no extra message, no healthy scratch surprise before a divisional spot with playoff weight.

The next stretch isn't soft either. After Florida, the Bruins are right back into games against Tampa Bay, Philadelphia, Carolina, and Tampa Bay again, so there's no room for a flat night.

Boston also has enough top-end offense to protect the choice. David Pastrnak is sitting on 95 points in 70 games, and when he's driving entries cleanly, the whole top six looks lighter.

Swayman's number matters because the Bruins don't need him to steal every game. They need the first save, a calm second period, and a crease that doesn't get messy when Florida starts leaning on rebounds.

That's the real playoff-push angle here. Sturm isn't searching for answers before this one. He's backing the same look, the same bench, and the goalie he trusts to keep Boston's spot from slipping.

If Swayman gives them a firm start in Sunrise, the Bruins can turn one lineup call into something bigger than a single night. They can turn it into breathing room.