SUNRISE, Fla. — In the final seconds of overtime, after Sam Bennett was called for high-sticking Charlie McAvoy, David Pastrnak intended to send a cross-seam puck for Elias Lindholm to one-time. Pastrnak did not complete the pass. Execution was not atop the Boston Bruins’ list of accomplishments Saturday against the Florida Panthers.
But the plummeting Bruins, who had lost their six previous games, got lucky. Pastrnak’s pass deflected off Sam Reinhart’s stick, fluttered past Sergei Bobrovsky and entered the net with 1.2 seconds left in overtime to give the Bruins a 4-3 win.
The Bruins were desperate for good fortune.
“What a big win for us. We obviously needed it. Good win,” Pastrnak said. “I don’t think either of the teams played their A game. Those afternoon games are tough. But it’s huge for us to come out with the win. Obviously not happy with that late goal. But at the same time, it happened. We’ve been in a slump for a while. So, hell of a win for us.”
PASTA PUT IT TO BED 🍝 pic.twitter.com/4AFvg7HeSO
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) January 11, 2025
Pastrnak was referring to how the Bruins nearly stole a regulation win. But with 1.8 seconds remaining in regulation, Reinhart chipped a floater that sailed over Jordan Oesterle’s glove and past Jeremy Swayman to make it a 3-3 game. Moments before, Pastrnak had sent a long-distance puck toward the empty net that bonked off the left post for an icing.
“You’re pissed off that they just tied the game,” Pastrnak said. “But you have to make sure you regroup to not lose the second point.”
The Bruins were fortunate to get one point, let alone two. The Panthers ripped off 111 all-situations attempts. The Bruins had just 39. It was men against boys for most of regulation and overtime.
That’s when a goalie can make a difference.
To this point, this has not been an $8.25 million season for Swayman. He has allowed too many goals that he’s stopped in the past.
But Swayman, who made his third straight start on Saturday, looks familiar now. He’s been square. He’s been fast. He’s been quick to recover. He’s even been ornery, giving lip to any opponent who dares get too close.
“He was the difference in the game,” interim coach Joe Sacco said. “The goalie played very well tonight. That’s what you need sometimes when you’re going through a situation like we are. They played well. We had outstanding goaltending today and that was the difference in the game.”
The Bruins have two days until their rematch against the Tampa Bay Lightning. They then have three days off before they play the Ottawa Senators. Given how well Swayman is playing, it’s likely the ace will stretch his starting streak to five games.
“The last couple games, he’s been playing out of his mind,” said Oliver Wahlstrom, who scored his first goal in his 10-game reset with the Bruins. “It’s on us to play a little better in front of him. I think it’s starting to come. He’s a world-class goalie. All of us need to start playing better for him and put the puck in the net.”
Wahlstrom’s strength is his shot. But in his role as a third-line grinder, Wahlstrom has to adjust his goal-scoring game to picking up loose change. In the third period, with the score tied at 2-2, Wahlstrom started the sequence by picking Niko Mikkola’s pocket below the goal line and feeding Justin Brazeau. Bobrovsky stopped Brazeau’s shot and McAvoy’s rebound attempt. But Wahlstrom was close by to tuck in the puck.
“It’s pretty cool for sure,” Wahlstrom said of scoring his first for his hometown team. “I want a lot more. So I’ve got to get to those areas, get my shot off and keep going.”
The result was an illusion. At times, the Bruins did not have answers to Florida’s forecheck. Puck movement out of their zone was spotty at best. They did not possess the puck enough to put regular pressure on Bobrovsky. According to Natural Stat Trick, the Panthers held the lead in all-situations expected goals, 5.75 to 1.63.
“Especially in the first, we were very slow and they were all over us,” Pastrnak said. “So it was very big for us.”
Pastrnak and Swayman are the two Bruins most capable of turning pyrite into gold. Sometimes two difference-makers are all you need to steal a win.
(Photo: Sam Navarro / Imagn Images)
