Boston Bruins rally, defeat Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 7 - ESPN

BOSTON — David Pastrnak scored on a feed from Hampus Lindholm 1:54 into overtime and the Boston Bruins defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-1 in Game 7 on Saturday night to clinch their NHL first-round series and advance in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Jeremy Swayman finished with 30 saves and Lindholm had the tying goal in regulation to help the Bruins avoid losing their second straight first-round series after holding a 3-1 lead. They have now defeated the rival Maple Leafs in Game 7 of the first round of the playoffs three times in the last seven years.

After a loss in Game 6, Boston coach Jim Montgomery told reporters the club needed more from Pastrnak, and it worked. He ended up with four shots on net across 30 shifts and 21:21 of ice time.

«I thought he was dynamic tonight,» Montgomery said. «I thought he had his most possession time, he was creating shots, he was taking what was available.»

Boston will meet the Florida Panthers, who upset the Bruins in seven games in the first round last year and spoiled a season in which they posted records for the most wins and points in a season in NHL history. Game 1 is set for Monday night in Florida. The Panthers have been resting since Tuesday, when they eliminated Tampa Bay in five games.

William Nylander scored and Auston Matthews had an assist in his return from a two-game absence for the Maple Leafs, who are now 0-6 in Game 7s since the 2013 conference quarterfinals. They are 0-4 on the road in those games — all in Boston. Matthews missed Games 5 and 6 with an undisclosed ailment.

Matthews opened the game on Toronto's third line, before rejoining the first line in time for the Maple Leafs' lone goal. He finished with 24 shifts and 17:35 time on the ice.

Ilya Samsonov started