Recreation 7 takeaways: Bruins beat Leafs, will play Panthers in 2d around

Recreation 7 takeaways: Bruins beat Leafs, will play Panthers in 2d around at the start gave the impression on NBC Sports activities Boston

BOSTON — The Bruins have punched their price tag to the second one around of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the primary time in 3 years.

The B’s eradicated the rival Toronto Maple Leafs with a 2-1 additional time win in Recreation 7 in their first-round sequence Saturday night time at TD Lawn. David Pastrnak used to be the hero in additional time with a purpose simply 114 seconds into the additional length. The Bruins had a 3-1 sequence at one level, however identical to 2013 and 2018, they completed the activity with a Recreation 7 win over the Leafs.

Boston has now defeated its Authentic Six competitors within the first around 4 instances (2013, 2018, 2019, 2024) this century. The Bruins even have set an NHL file with 16 Recreation 7 victories all time, passing the Montreal Canadiens. The Leafs even have now misplaced six directly Recreation 7s.

Looking forward to the Bruins in the second one around is the Florida Panthers, who disillusioned the B’s within the first around of the 2023 playoffs through overcoming a 3-1 sequence deficit, together with additional time victories in Video games 5 and seven in Boston. The Bruins gained all 4 matchups throughout the 2023-24 common season.

Sooner than we stay up for the second one around, listed below are 3 takeaways from Bruins-Leafs Recreation 7.

David Pastrnak steps up when B’s wanted him maximum

Pastrnak had a lovely quiet couple of video games getting into Saturday night time’s must-win matchup. He had 0 issues in Video games 5 and six, whilst additionally tallying simply 8 photographs over the ones two video games blended.

However he performed the function of hero in additional time. Pastrnak constructed up pace throughout the impartial zone and Hampus Lindholm known it and performed the puck completely off the forums to offer the Bruins proper wing a 1-on-1 with Leafs goalie Ilya Samsonov.

Pastrnak scored on a grimy deke to offer the Bruins a sequence win.

Pastrnak completed the sequence with 5 issues (3 objectives, two assists) in seven video games. He has now scored in 4 of his six profession Recreation 7s, together with every of his remaining 3. The narrative that he does not display up in vital playoff video games is lazy and simply faulty. For his profession, Pastrnak has 84 issues (38 objectives, 36 assists) in 84 postseason video games.

Bruins display nice resilience

There used to be a ton of drive at the Bruins on this sport. They may were the primary workforce in NHL, MLB or NBA playoff historical past to squander a 3-1 sequence lead in back-to-back seasons. In addition they had misplaced 3 consecutive Recreation 7s and 6 directly closeout video games. They have been on house ice, too.

Even after the Leafs opened the scoring at 9:01 of the 3rd length, the Bruins did not panic. They attacked the Toronto zone and in spite of everything broke thru when Hampus Lindholm beat Ilya Samsonov up prime with a super shot. It used to be Lindholm’s first purpose in 18 profession playoff video games with the B’s.

The Bruins hadn’t gained an additional time playoff sport since Recreation 3 of the second one around in 2021. That they had misplaced 3 directly.

However the Bruins weathered the adversity and pulled out a large win that prolonged their season (and perhaps stored their trainer’s activity). The second one around matchup as opposed to the Panthers might be very tricky, however the Bruins are well-prepared after popping out of this tough Spherical 1 sequence alive.

The Bruins began Swayman for the 6th time this sequence.

He wasn’t examined as a lot early on because the remaining two video games, however he nonetheless had to make a pair excellent saves, together with this forestall on William Nylander that got here off a turnover within the attacking zone. It used to be one among 8 saves for Swayman within the first length.

Swayman stored the Bruins within the sport as their offense struggled to attain. He completed with 30 saves on 31 photographs (.968 save share). One in every of his easiest saves got here within the 3rd length quickly after the Leafs scored first. If Swayman does not make this forestall on Nylander, Toronto is going up 2-0 and most likely wins in legislation.

Swayman posted an excellent .950 save share in six begins towards the Leafs, and he allowed simply two or fewer objectives in they all. You want to make a case that Swayman used to be the most efficient goalie in all of the playoffs for Spherical 1. He used to be simply the Bruins’ most beneficial and maximum remarkable participant within the sequence.