The Bruins will face the Buffalo Sabres, who won the Atlantic Division title on Monday, in the Eastern Conference First Round. It will be the first time the teams have met in the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 2010 when Boston defeated Buffalo in the conference quarter-finals in six games.
David Pastrnak had an assist for his 100th point of the season, Mark Kastelic scored twice and Morgan Geekie also scored for the Bruins (45-27-10), who finished the regular season with back-to-back wins after losing five straight. Swayman’s shutout was his second of the season and 18th in the NHL.
Nico Daws made 22 saves for the Devils (42-37-3), who missed the playoffs for the third time in the past five seasons.
Boston scored all four of its goals in the first period.
Geekie gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead at 53 seconds. After a sustained forecheck, Pastrnak controlled the puck in the corner and found Geekie in the slot for a quick wrister past Daws short side.
Kastelic made it 2-0 at 6:14. Tanner Jeannot eluded two defenders in the corner and made a centering pass to Kastelic, who beat Daws five-hole.
Kastelic’s second goal of the game at 17:42 extended it to 3-0. Boston defenseman Mason Lohrei thwarted a breakout attempt, kept the puck in at the blue line, and fed Sean Kuraly at the bottom of left circle for a one-touch delivery to Kastelic, who beat Daws off the crossbar.
Viktor Arvidsson pushed it to 4-0 with eight seconds remaining in the first. Daws made the initial save on Hampus Lindholm’s shot from the high slot, but Pavel Zacha grabbed the rebound and made a cross-crease pass to Arvidsson, who tapped it in backdoor.
Zacha exited the game after the first period to attend to a family matter.
