Pastrnak OT – David Pastrnak scored 9:14 into overtime to give the Bruins a 2-1 Game 5 win over Buffalo, forcing Game 6 Friday and keeping Boston’s first-round hopes alive.
David Pastrnak didn’t just break a tie Tuesday night—he bought the Bruins time.
With his overtime goal at 9:14. Boston edged the Buffalo Sabres 2-1 in Game 5. forcing a Game 6 in the first round after the Bruins had looked rattled following Sunday’s 6-1 loss.. The Bruins still trail the best-of-seven series 3-2. but they now get another chance to swing momentum back at TD Garden on Friday night.
Pastrnak’s OT goal flips the momentum
The sequence mattered because it started with a defensive-zone disruption—exactly where playoff hockey tends to turn into a test of composure.. After Marat Khusnutdinov interfered with a pass near Buffalo’s blue line, the puck bounced to Hampus Lindholm.. Lindholm immediately pushed a stretch pass down the ice to Pastrnak, who collected it in stride.
Mattias Samuelsson pursued from behind, but Pastrnak created just enough space with a quick series of dekes.. He caught Alex Lyon moving. sold the goalie with a sharp change in body angle. and tucked the puck past his outstretched pads to end it.. The payoff was instant: a Boston crowd that had seen its share of playoff stress got a moment of release as Pastrnak finished the play.
For all the drama, the goal also carried a practical message. In close playoff games, the team that makes the next play—cleanly—often decides the outcome. Boston’s ability to turn a disrupted moment into a controlled rush was the difference between “one more game” and “summer vacation.”
Jeremy Swayman steadies the Bruins
Pastrnak earned the spotlight, but the Bruins’ turnaround depended just as much on their goalie. Jeremy Swayman stopped 25 of 26 shots, including several high-quality attempts in the third period when Boston and Buffalo were locked 1-1.
That kind of goaltending is what allows a team to survive when the offense isn’t fully clicking yet. Shots can come in waves during playoff stretches, and Swayman’s job—especially late—was to prevent those waves from breaking the ice completely.
The contrast between Game 4’s lopsided result and Tuesday’s tighter margin underscored the importance of steadiness. After a 6-1 loss, the Bruins needed a response that went beyond effort; they needed execution, and their defense and goaltending gave them the base to build from.
Why this matters for the series—and for Boston
Pastrnak has now scored the last two Bruins overtime playoff goals. including a game-winner against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 7 of the first round in May 2024.. That detail isn’t just a statistic—it suggests a pattern: when Boston is backed up against the wall. the moments that demand calm tend to find their way to him.
The bigger picture is what Game 6 represents.. Teams can’t always regain control after being outplayed for long stretches. especially in a series where home-ice and crowd energy matter.. But Wednesday’s overtime winner changes the temperature in Boston.. Now the Bruins return to TD Garden not as a team hoping to salvage pride. but as a team still actively pursuing the series.
There’s also a cultural layer to it.. Bruins fans know how quickly playoff belief can evaporate when the opponent starts scoring in the “easy” places.. Tuesday’s win didn’t look like a routine bounce-back; it looked like a team refusing to fold. built around one player making the right reads at the right time.
Pastrnak’s message to fans—keep being loud. be patient. keep shooting the puck—captures the mindset Boston needs right now.. In a tight series, energy isn’t only about volume; it’s about sustained pressure.. Shooting isn’t guaranteed success, but in playoff hockey it’s the foundation for rebounds, turnovers, and second chances.. And the Bruins’ overtime goal began with a defensive disruption that ended with a forward finding the open lane.
Friday’s Game 6 will likely hinge on the same themes: whether Boston’s early sequences in transition create pressure, whether Swayman can again withstand a late-game barrage, and whether Pastrnak can keep turning the series’ highest-leverage moments into outcomes.
If the Bruins close out the series, it will feel like more than one goal. It will feel like a pattern of resilience—something Boston hasn’t often had the luxury of relying on over the long grind of the playoffs. For now, at least, the season is alive.