Matthew Knies scored 2:26 into overtime as the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs extended their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series against the Boston Bruins with a 2-1 win in Game 5 on Tuesday.
After John Tavares drove toward the net, a loose puck popped off the pads of Boston goaltender Jeremy Swayman and went to Knies, who potted it after charging down the slot.
“It was a pretty incredible play by (Tavares) to drive the net and make that play happen,” Knies said. “It all started with him. It just found my stick and I was fortunate enough to bury that one.”
The result cut Boston’s advantage in the best-of-seven series to 3-2.
Jake McCabe also scored and Joseph Woll made 27 saves in his first start of the series for Toronto, which will host Game 6 on Thursday.
Woll stopped all four shots he faced during overtime, including early chances by Charlie Coyle and Charlie McAvoy.
The Maple Leafs prevailed despite the absence of NHL regular-season scoring champion Auston Matthews for an undisclosed reason, believed to be related to an illness.
Trent Frederic scored Boston’s lone goal.
“We weren’t good enough. Simple as that,” Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said. “We weren’t able to match their (level of) desperation.”
Swayman made 31 saves but took his first loss to Toronto in seven meetings in 2023-24, including the regular season and postseason.
It was a 1-1 game after one period despite the Maple Leafs’ dominant 11-2 shot advantage.
McCabe helped Toronto take advantage of the home team’s slow start and scored the opening goal at 5:33 of the first. After Max Domi’s faceoff win, McCabe took Mitch Marner’s feed to the point, then snapped off a shot that beat Swayman through traffic.
With the assist, Marner became the 12th player in Maple Leafs history to record 50 career playoff points.
The Bruins’ second shot of the opening frame found the back of the net at 13:54. Jesper Boqvist’s forecheck helped the puck come loose, and it went to Frederic for a quick point-blank shot that eluded Woll’s glove.
Both goaltenders came up big during a scoreless second that included Swayman making a key save when Domi set up Morgan Rielly for a shot at 4:05.
Boston missed a golden opportunity to take the lead 5:11 into the third. Coyle stole the puck and skated down the right wing, but Brad Marchand sent his try just over the net.
Just before the midway point of the third, Coyle clanked a shot from the left circle off the crossbar.
Woll made one of his best stops with 7:29 left in regulation, sprawling out of his crease to deny Frederic on the doorstep.
Also helping to force overtime, Swayman denied Tyler Bertuzzi on a two-on-one with 5:07 to go.
–Field Level Media
