The pressure on both the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs was thick and nasty as both teams prepared for Game 7 of the first-round Stanley Cup series. The Bruins were trying to avoid blowing a 3-1 series lead in the opening round for the second years in a row and earn their first series victory since 2020. The Maple Leafs were trying to avoid their seventh consecutive series loss to the Bruins and figure out how to win a seventh game.
The tension at TD Garden in the decisive game was palpable and it continued to build deep into a scoreless third period. William Nylander gave the Leafs the edge with his goal at the 9:01 mark of the period. However, instead of sinking the struggling Bruins, defenseman Hampus Lindholm responded quickly with a seeing-eye shot that broke through goalie Ilya Samsonov. Instead of getting beaten on their home ice in the seventh game, the Bruins once again had an opportunity to forge ahead.
They would win it in overtime on a goal by superstar David Pastrnak, but not before goalie Jeremy Swayman made one more mind-boggling save in the final seconds. A Toronto pass went off the skate of defenseman Parker Wotherspoon and was headed for the back of the net. Swayman saw what was happening and refused to let the puck break the hearts of his teammates and their fans. He covered the puck and the series would be decided in overtime of the final game.
Bruins’ Pastrnak answers the call from his coach
The Bruins superstar winger with the heavy shot, speed and creativity had been rather ordinary throughout the series. He had scored two goals, but had been rather quiet in losses in Games 5 and 6. Head coach Jim Montgomery did not hesitate to call out Pastrnak when asked why his team had blown those two games and why they had not put away the Leafs after building a 3-1 series lead.
Montgomery explained that the Bruins needed their “best players to be their best players” and that meant Pastrnak had to step up.
The Czech star did not pout or sulk when he heard his coach mention his name. In fact, he appeared to welcome the challenge. As the seventh game played out, Pastrnak was noticeable on the ice, but through the first 60 minutes, his name was not on the score sheet. That changed at the 1:54 mark of overtime.
“He’s trying to bring the best out of every single player. He expects more,” Pastrnak said. “I admitted I needed to be better.”
As Lindholm purposefully carried the puck up the ice, Pastrnak picked up speed in the neutral zone. He made eye contact with the defenseman and pointed his stick deep in Toronto ice, silently communicating with his teammate to fire the puck into the corner.
Lindholm did just that as he crossed the center-ice red line and the puck rebounded between the circles where Pastrnak made the pickup on his backhand. He quickly shifted the puck to his forehand and then to his backhand before sending it past Samsonov for the the series winner.
Bruins triumph sets off celebration
It set off a frenzy on the ice and in the stands, as the Bruins celebrated wildly and their fans roared their approval.
It was reminiscent of Boston’s 1983 seventh-game overtime victory over the Buffalo Sabres, a triumph earned on Brad Park’s slap shot. Nathan Horton famously beat Carey Price of the Montreal Canadiens with a 7th-game OT winner in 2011 and Patrice Bergeron also scored a 7th-game OT winner against the Maple Leafs in 2013.
Pastrnak has performed brilliantly for the Bruins throughout his career and a seventh-game overtime winner adds to his legacy. He was clearly one of the heroes of the series and will undoubtedly play a key role in the second round against the Florida Panthers.
Montgomery was on the verge of Bruins fans demanding his firing if the team had lost the series to the Leafs after blowing another 3-1 series lead, as they did last year after a record-setting regular-season run. He appeared powerless to halt that scenario, but when he called out Pastrnak, it was the right move. Montgomery’s gamble played out well, as his star player took responsibility for the team and scored the decisive goal.
Those two played key roles for the Bruins, but neither did as much for the Bruins as Swayman. The goalie had a 4-2 record in the series with a 1.50 goals against average and a .950 save percentage. He made huge saves in every game and he did not allow a single shaky goal. He was under severe pressure throughout the series, but he sent a message to his team that he would not be overwhelmed.
It’s the kind of performance that could lead the Bruins to more success throughout the postseason.
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