David Pastrnak's Overtime Goal Gives Bruins Game 5 Win Over Sabres to Extend Series
The Boston Bruins picked up a 2-1 win in overtime against the Buffalo Sabres in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Tuesday night at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, N.Y.
The Sabres got on the board first 1-0 in the early minutes of the opening frame. Defenseman Rasmus Dahlin knocked the puck into the back of the net at 3:35 on a power play while Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman was looking the other way to put Buffalo in front.
Boston center Mark Kastelic was in the box for roughing Buffalo left winger Zach Benson. The goal marked the Sabres’ first power play score of the series. Prior to the game, Buffalo was 0-for-17 on the power play.
Dahlin’s score was the only one for either team in the period and the Sabres went into the first intermission with the 1-0 lead. The Bruins had one opportunity at the power play after Sabres center Noah Ostlund was called for tripping Kastelic at 6:53, but could not capitalize on the man advantage.
The Bruins knotted up the contest at 1 at the 9:24 mark of the second period with a goal from center Elias Lindholm. Lindholm scored the rebound goal off his own shot attempt after it bounced off the pad of Sabres goalie Alex Lyon.
Although Boston outshot Buffalo 9-8 in the third period, neither team could execute a goal which sent the game into overtime. The Bruins were the only one to have an advantage in the period after Sabres right winger Alex Tuch was called for High-sticking at 4:59, but Buffalo was able to kill the penalty.
In overtime, Bruins right winger David Pastrnak scored the game-winner at 9:14 with help from defenseman Hampus Lindholm to keep the Bruins’ season alive and extend the series.
The goal marked Pastrnak’s second of the series as he also scored in Game 1 on April 19 to get the Bruins within one goal 4-3 with eight seconds remaining in regulation.
Swayman tallied 25 saves on 26 shot attempts and a .962 save percentage while Lyon had 27 saves on 29 attempts and a .931 save percentage.
Next up, the Bruins and Sabres will return to Boston, Mass., for Game 6 of the series at TD Garden on Friday night. Game time is TBD.
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Kim Rankin is one of the lead writers for Boston Bruins on SI and Boston College On SI. A 2020 graduate of the University of Alabama. she joined Alabama Crimson Tide On SI in February 2024 covering baseball, softball, football, men’s basketball, and more for BamaCentral, but has also contributed to Missouri Tigers On SI. She previously worked as the brand manager at Tide 100.9 FM in Tuscaloosa, Ala. She has covered a wide variety of events including SEC Championships, NCAA Regionals, and bowl games.