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Bruins' David Pastrnak responds to Jim Montgomery's message & stuns Maple Leafs in Game 7

David Pastrnak's goal 1:54 into overtime sent the Boston Bruins to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 2-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Scott Roche|
May 4, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak (88) reacts after
May 4, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak (88) reacts after | Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

Following a 2-1 loss in Game 6 to the Toronto Maple Leafs Thursday night, Boston Bruins coach Jim Montgomery called out star David Pastrnak saying that "Pasta needs to step up.'' He wasn't wrong and he wasn't the only Bruins star that needed to step up if they were going to avoid becoming part of history that nobody wants to be a part of.

A Game 7 loss at home to the Maple Leafs would have been historic as they would have become the first team in the NHL, NBA, or MLB to lose 3-1 series leads in consecutive series. Fourty-eight hours after Montgomery called out Pastrnak, Boston's leading scorer did exactly what his second-year head coach was asking, he stepped up.

After both teams exchanged third-period goals by William Nylander and Hampus Lindholm, of course, a Bruins/Maple Leafs Game 7 went to overtime. Fortunately, the extra session lasted just 1:54 thanks to Pastrnak.

Lindholm dumped the puck into the Toronto end and Pastrnak beat Maple Leafs' defenseman Morgan Rielly to the puck in front of the net and beat Ilya Samsonov with a backhander to help the Black and Gold stun their Atlantic Division rivals, 2-1, to win the best-of-seven-series to advance to the second round against the Florida Panthers.

Pastrnak is one of three players who helped the Bruins avoid being on the wrong side of history and continuing misery for the Maple Leafs in the playoffs. Less than two minutes after Nylander gave Toronto the lead midway through the third period, Lindholm was able to beat Samsonov with a wrist shot from the left circle to tie the game.

Then there was Jeremy Swayman in goal. He turned back 30 of the 31 shots fired at him and many were timely and spectacular. In all honesty, if the Bruins were to lose the series, it would have been difficult for Swayman and Bruins' fans to swallow as he deserved to win each night, he just never got enough goal support until Game 7.

In the end, Montgomery sent a message following Game 6 and Pastrnak received it and responded in the biggest game of the year in overtime to save the season and send them to the second round.

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