Bruins defeat Sabres in OT in Game 5, stay alive in Eastern 1st Round

BUFFALO -- David Pastrnak scored at 9:14 of overtime for the Boston Bruins, who stayed alive in the Eastern Conference First Round with a 2-1 win against the Buffalo Sabres in Game 5 at KeyBank Center on Tuesday.

Following a turnover by Peyton Krebs at the defensive blue line, Pastrnak took a stretch pass from Hampus Lindholm, skated in on a partial breakaway, and made a backhand-to-forehand deke on Alex Lyon before tucking the puck in at the right post.

It was Pastrnak’s second career playoff overtime goal, with both coming off passes from Lindholm.

“We’re neighbors and we always call it the neighbor connection,” Pastrnak said of Lindholm. “No, it's just great. Great eyes. Seems like anytime he has the puck and I have an opening, I have the confidence that he's going to find me. We have the chemistry so it's fun, and happy that we connected today.”

Elias Lindholm also scored for the Bruins, who are the first wild card from the Eastern Conference. Jeremy Swayman, who was pulled in the third period of a 6-1 loss in Game 4, made 24 saves.

“So much better tonight,” Boston coach Marco Sturm said. “We've seen it all year from our guys. We just had to wait a little bit unfortunately at the wrong time, but today you could see it. One goal against on the (penalty kill), that's it. That's more us. That made us good this year, that made us to be part of the playoffs, and we just got to remember ourselves. That's the way we have to play.”

Rasmus Dahlin scored for the Sabres, who are the No. 1 seed from the Atlantic Division. Lyon made 27 saves.

Buffalo leads the best-of-7 series 3-2. Game 6 will be at TD Garden in Boston on Friday (7:30 p.m. ET; ESPN, TVAS2, SN360).

“I said it this morning, it's going to be a real hard hockey game,” Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff said. “It was a hard hockey game. We had two or three really good chances we that didn't quite hit on in the third period. Even in overtime, we're looking at making a pass for a guy on a breakaway and we hit a stick. They’re changing and it ends up going the other way, but that's part of the game.”

Dahlin gave Buffalo a 1-0 lead on a power play at 3:35 of the first period. Jason Zucker's initial pass attempt for Tage Thompson was blocked by Bruins defenseman Andrew Peeke, but the puck bounced right back to Zucker, allowing him to then feed Dahlin, who buried a one-timer off the near post from the right circle.

It was the Sabres’ first power-play goal in the month of April, ending an 0-for-39 drought (regular season and playoffs).

“It hasn’t been for a lack of trying,” Zucker said. “We’re trying to simplify, we’re trying to make some plays when they’re there. Obviously, they’re making adjustments. We’re trying to do the same. It was nice to get one tonight, but we got to follow it up now.”

Lindholm tied it 1-1 at 9:24 of the second period. Lyon made the save on his initial shot from the right of the net, but the rebound bounced into the high slot, where Lindholm gathered it and spun around for a wrist shot that beat the screened goaltender inside the right post.

“I thought we played Bruins hockey. We didn’t really get rewarded, but we kept going, kept going, and that’s how you win this time of year,” Hampus Lindholm said. “... They know it’s going to be a different Boston Bruins at home here next game, so we’re going to keep playing this type of hockey and make it hard on them.”

NOTES: Pastrnak scored his first career playoff overtime goal in Game 7 of the 2024 Eastern Conference First Round to eliminate the Toronto Maple Leafs. He is the first player in Boston's history to score multiple overtime goals to stave off elimination. ... The goal was the 41st of Pastrnak’s playoff career, moving him past Johnny Bucyk for seventh place in Bruins history. ... Sabres forward Noah Ostlund left the game midway through the first period with a lower-body injury after getting tangled with Boston forward Casey Mittelstadt. Ruff did not have an update but said it “doesn’t look good.”