Bruins Win OT Thriller on Pastrňák’s 40th Goal

If you like your hockey dramatic, this one checked every box.
The TD Garden crowd got an instant classic — overtime tension, late penalties, and a superstar finish that echoed through the rafters.

David Pastrňák needed less than a minute of extra time to end it. A slick feed from Charlie McAvoy, a lightning-quick release, and a one-timer that screamed past Andrei Vasilevskiy before he could blink. Goal No. 40 on the season, and maybe his most emphatic yet.

“It’s about resilience,” Pastrňák said. “You keep shooting, something good happens.”

How It Happened

Boston started hot, building a 2–0 lead in the first period behind goals from Brad Marchand and Jake DeBrusk, but a sloppy stretch in the second turned the tide.
Two defensive-zone turnovers gave Tampa Bay life, and by early in the third, the Lightning led 3–2. The Bruins’ neutral zone, normally their stronghold, looked disjointed — gaps opened, and Tampa’s speed took advantage.

That’s when Linus Ullmark settled them down. The goalie stopped 39 of 42 shots, including a point-blank glove save on Nikita Kucherov that kept Boston within striking distance.

The Equalizer

With under three minutes left and the Bruins on a late power play, Charlie Coyle parked in front of the crease and deflected a Pastrňák wrist shot to tie it at three. The building shook.

From there, it felt inevitable. The Bruins found their rhythm again — crisp exits, layered forecheck, quick puck movement. When overtime started, Boston owned the puck for all 58 seconds it lasted.

“We just stuck with it,” coach Jim Montgomery said. “The effort never dropped, even when the execution did.”

Pastrňák’s Milestone

Goal number 40 is more than just a stat line — it’s a statement.
Pastrňák has now hit the 40-goal mark in four of the last five full seasons, putting him in rare company among modern NHL scorers. But beyond the numbers, it’s his sense of timing that stands out. Every big game, every tight finish, he finds a way to tilt the ice.

That leadership, both vocal and by example, is why Boston keeps finding ways to win nights that could’ve slipped away.

The Bigger Picture

The victory keeps the Bruins atop the Atlantic Division, and with the playoffs looming, they look every bit the contender they were projected to be — deep, disciplined, and difficult to close out.

If Marchand’s grit is the team’s heartbeat, Pastrňák’s flair is its spark. And in a season where every night feels like playoff hockey, that combination might just be the difference between a good team and a banner-worthy one.

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