Bruins Game-Breaker: Leafs goalie turns the tables in overtime win
You can fill a whole hockey bag with reasons why the Boston Bruins lost Game 5 in overtime to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Those things are large. But when it came down to the game-deciding sequence in overtime, the Leafs got what they haven’t gotten much of throughout the season, and what the Bruins have had in abundance.
Clutch goaltending.
Stepping in for the struggling Ilya Samsonov in a do-or-die Game 5, Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll turned in a 27-for-28 performance (.964), and saved his biggest play for overtime when he stopped Charlie Coyle in the slot early in the overtime period. Just 1:44 after his season-saving stop, Leafs forward Matthew Knies beat Jeremy Swayman to give the Leafs a win and officially keep their season alive.
Season-saving stop by Joseph Woll#LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/XL6Ob6gIfO
— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) May 1, 2024
This is not to say that Swayman came up short on Matthew Knies’ game-winner for the Leafs. The defense in front of him failed. Matt Grzelcyk couldn’t keep John Tavares to the outside, forcing Swayman to hug the short-side post, while both Coyle and Charlie McAvoy lost sight of Knies and watched the rebound bounce right to him. Swayman would have seriously Superman’d their asses if he made a stop here.
MATTHEW KNIES KEEPS THE LEAFS ALIVE ‼️
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 1, 2024
Knies buries the @SUBWAYCanada OT winner to force a Game 6. pic.twitter.com/WaQiHjnZeV
“I think we saw an opportunity, and we missed, and we’re not going to let that happen again,” Swayman said after the game. “The motivation is completely internal, and it’s contagious in this locker room. We’ll be a different team come Thursday.”
Massive credit is due to Woll, who legitimately saved the Maple Leafs’ season with his save on Coyle. He also made a highlight-reel stop on Trent Frederic in the third period. Woll kept the Bruins at bay as they found their offensive footing with an 8-2 edge in 5-on-5 high-danger chances in the third and OT.
Does Woll have enough in him to really flip this series? It’ll be a tall task to outduel Swayman for two more games. But he just opened the door. It’ll be on the Bruins to slam it back shut, preferably in Game 6 in Toronto on Thursday night.
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Matt Dolloff is a writer and podcaster for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Check out all of Matt’s content.
