Pastrnak OT – David Pastrnak scored in overtime as the Boston Bruins bounced back to beat the Buffalo Sabres in Game 5 and set up Game 6.
The Bruins survived Game 5 in Buffalo, and David Pastrnak’s overtime strike did the damage as Boston extended its series life.
After suffering two hard setbacks at home. Boston looked like a team under pressure when it returned to KeyBank Center needing a win.. Instead of letting the moment swallow them. the Bruins absorbed the early tension and stayed disciplined enough to make each possession count.. When the game flipped into overtime, the story narrowed to two essentials: chance prevention and finishing when it mattered.
Jeremy Swayman delivered the kind of goaltending that turns a playoff swing into a statement.. He was particularly sharp in overtime. using calm positioning to shut down a dangerous Alex Tuch look right before Pastrnak’s goal.. That sequence mattered because it didn’t just stop a shot—it erased the momentum Buffalo was trying to build as the game moved deeper into sudden-death territory.
Then came the goal that Bruins fans will replay.. Hampus Lindholm started the play with a long stretch pass that pushed the breakout forward. forcing Buffalo to defend in space rather than set its structure.. Pastrnak picked up the puck near the blue line and drove straight toward the net with intent.. Up close. he made the decisive move through a series of dekes. leaving Alex Lyon scrambling before finding the finish that sent the rink into celebration.
Pastrnak’s ability to take control from the perimeter is what separates the best from the merely good in playoff hockey.. When he carries forward like that, he turns a possession into a threat before the defense fully clocks the angle.. In Game 5, Boston needed exactly that—an individual moment that could cut through a tight, grinding matchup.
For Buffalo, the loss is more than the final outcome.. It’s the kind of defeat that can linger emotionally because the game had an opening late. and Swayman’s save right before the winner made it feel like a door closing at the worst possible time.. The Sabres were close—close enough to believe they could win in overtime—but they couldn’t convert the chances they earned.
From Boston’s perspective, the win is also a reset of tone.. Back-to-back losses at home can fracture confidence. yet the Bruins managed to keep their identity intact: structured defense. timely pressure. and then the willingness to attack quickly once an opening appears.. If Game 5 showed anything. it’s that this series isn’t being decided purely by who has the most talent on paper—it’s being shaped by who handles the critical minutes better.
Now the focus shifts to what comes next: the showdown in Game 6.. With momentum leaning Boston after Pastrnak’s overtime heroics, the Bruins will look to carry that composure forward.. Buffalo. meanwhile. will likely adjust its approach in the moments that precede the breakout. especially against the kind of pass-and-charge sequence that created the winning play.. In a matchup this close. one correction can change everything—but so can one player with the puck and a plan.