An overtime playoff game can be nerve-wracking for all parties. The stakes are raised even higher when it involves the possible elimination of a team. That was the case in Game 5 of the first-round series between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins on Tuesday night.
The Bruins were a goal away from ending the Leafs' season, while Toronto needed a game-winner to send the series back to Canada for Game 6. Less than three minutes into the extra period, Maple Leafs winger Matthew Knies buried his third career playoff goal to secure the win for Toronto.
Knies became the sixth rookie in Maple Leafs history to score an overtime goal in the postseason.
“Gosh, you kind of black out a little bit,” Knies said after the goal, per Chris Johnston.
Knies made his NHL debut last April with the Leafs, playing in three regular-season games before appearing in seven playoff games. He notched four points in last year's postseason. His overtime goal in Game 5 was his second of the series.
Toronto was without superstar Auston Matthews who was sidelined with an illness. It's impossible to replace a 69-goal scorer, but the Leafs found a way to grind out a win and keep their season alive. They'll get a chance to do the same on Thursday in Game 6.
“We haven't been good on home ice, so we’ve earned ourselves another opportunity to fix that,” Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe said, per Chris Johnston.
Only one of the 15 other playoff teams won fewer games at home than Toronto this season. The Leafs dropped both games at home in this series to the Bruins, marking four consecutive losses at home dating back to the regular season.
Leafs find a way and gain momentum with Game 5 win
Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
Though the odds are still against them, the Maple Leafs are putting up a fight and showing they won’t go down easy to the Bruins. Boston clinching the series in Toronto is not impossible and the Bruins already have two road wins in this series in Game 3 and Game 4. They'll see a different Leafs team in Game 6.
“You want to build positive momentum your own way,” Keefe said, via NHL.com. “And yeah, you want to make them be uncomfortable. You want to make them have to pack up and head out to Toronto.”
The Maple Leafs failed to win a series in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for 19 years. They're now trying to make it two years in a row with a second-round berth in the postseason. Toronto at the very least will like its chances to force a Game 7 back in Boston.
Toronto has lost seven in a row to Boston in the regular season. The playoffs are a different beast though and the Leafs are showing their persistence after an overtime winner. They'll continue to face elimination in Game 6 and will hope to have Auston Matthews back to anchor the offense.
This series is shaping up to have one heck of a finish and could still swing either way in the end.
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