DeBrusk Thrives in Game 7 Victory

BOSTON - Jake DeBrusk did not have much of a voice left as he attempted to speak in the Bruins dressing room on Wednesday night. It's understandable, considering the amount of talking - and on-ice screaming - the rookie winger had to do following the grandest night of his young career.
As the 21-year-old made his way through the media gauntlet to recall his scintillating two-goal performance - including the series-winning tally early in the third - during the Bruins' 7-4 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 7, he attempted to make sense of what will, no doubt, be a night he never forgets.

"I'll never forget this series just in general," said DeBrusk. "First playoffs and I was really happy to contribute and obviously tonight with the home crowd here, too, and how the game was going. It was back and forth and emotions were pretty crazy…it was nice to get on the board and it was nice to help the team win."

While DeBrusk was quite possibly the best player on the ice in the win-or-go-home contest, it was his entire series that was something to behold. In his first taste of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Edmonton native potted five goals - tied with David Pastrnak for the Bruins lead - and seven points in the seven games, including a four-game point streak to end the series (four goals, assist).
"There's something inside of him that not many guys have," said Torey Krug, whose blast from the point just 1:10 into the third set off a four-goal final frame for the Bruins. "He hounds the puck. He stays on it. We saw it all throughout the series, whether it was up in Toronto, that play he made where he's climbing down the boards and three guys take a run at him and he hits [David Krejci] back door.
"When he wants it he's going to get it, so he's a great player for us. You need contributions from your young guys, and he was a big part of it today."
Indeed he was.
After Krug knotted things, 4-4, with his second of the series, it was DeBrusk who put the Bruins ahead for good with a stellar individual effort. The pesky winger took a feed from Krejci at the Boston blue line and steamrolled down the right wing with the teams playing 4-on-4.
As he closed on Toronto goalie Frederik Andersen, he was pummeled from the side by Leafs defenseman Jake Gardiner, with both players crashing into the boards behind the net. But not before DeBrusk managed to skitter one through Andersen's five-hole for a 5-4 Bruins lead at 5:25 of the third.
"I don't get out there for four-on-four too much, so I just went to the net and kind of caught their defenseman off guard right away with my speed," DeBrusk explained. "And then I tried to make a move and actually tried to raise it…I didn't even see it go in, I just heard the crowd go pretty nuts and it was a very special feeling, especially making it 5-4 at that point."

An insurance tally from Pastrnak and an empty-netter from Brad Marchand followed to seal the deal and secure the Bruins' first series victory since 2014 and a date with the Tampa Bay Lightning in the second round.
"I think that playing against Toronto they played their hearts out and it was a tough series, it was an absolute grind and they took us to seven," said DeBrusk, who had a game-high five shots on goal in 15:40 of ice time. "I thought it was going to go seven before the series just because they were so good, but not this way.
"I think that we're all just pretty excited right now to have a chance to continue playing together and take on Tampa. We're going to enjoy this one tonight, but then go back to the drawing board.
"I think our next game is Saturday, so we have a couple days to regroup and reenergize."
Not that DeBrusk seems to have any trouble finding enough vigor and drive to get him going. All series long, the 6-foot, 188-pound former first-round pick consistently went to the uncomfortable areas of the ice and never shied away from contact if it meant there was a chance to make a play. His stunning rush down the left wing in Boston's Game 3 loss - albeit an unsuccessful one - was evidence of that, as was his tip-in tally from the doorstep on Wednesday night.
Posted up just outside the crease, DeBrusk floated towards the blue paint and jammed home a Pastrnak feed to tie the game, 1-1, on the power play at 4:47 of the first period.
"That's always the first thing: get into the inside, play inside, be willing to get hit, fight for your space, and that's playoff hockey," said Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy. "It's a little more difficult to get there. So, they weren't freebies, all of his goals. He's around the net. He got a shot through the other night in - but the other ones here, he's been real greasy, as advertised. And, he had his legs the whole series.
"He can really get on pucks and make people uncomfortable, so I was happy for him. He's a good kid, he's worked hard, and he's really contributing for us."

DeBrusk clearly thrives on playing in the type of atmosphere the postseason provides. Fortunately for the Bruins, they'll have at least four more games to see him in action.
"You're a young guy, you want to prove yourself, you want to be known as - all of the guys want to be known as guys that can play in the big moments," said Cassidy. "These are the kind of games Jake wants."