Nylander and Woll help Maple Leafs beat Bruins 2-1 to force Game 7

 

The Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Boston Bruins 2-1 on Thursday night, forcing a seventh game in the Eastern Conference first-round series. William Nylander scored twice, while Joseph Woll made 22 saves.

With a 2-1 victory in overtime in Boston on Tuesday, Toronto overcame a 3-1 series deficit and avoided elimination, sending the series back to Boston for a winner-take-all showdown on Saturday night. The Florida Panthers will play the series winner.


Both goals were assisted by Morgan Rielly.

The Bruins, who established a record during the regular season, lost in Game 7 of the playoffs after blowing a 3-1 lead against the Florida Panthers in the first round last year. Jeremy Swayman stopped 24 shots for the Bruins. With 0.1 seconds remaining, Woll's attempt at a shutout was thwarted by Morgan Geekie.

Toronto was without Auston Matthews for the second straight game after the star center was pulled from Game 4 because of an illness.

Nylander opened the scoring with 54.8 seconds left in the second period. The Swedish winger took a pass from Timothy Liljegren in the offensive zone before weaving away from his check and firing a shot that glanced off Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy in front and beat Swayman on the short-side.

The goal set off wild celebrations inside an electric Scotiabank Arena — and outside the rink as Maple Leaf Square turned into a mosh pit of blue and white.

Toronto made it 2-0 with 2:13 left in the game when Nylander moved in alone after taking a pass from Matthew Knies and slid a backhander between Swayman’s pads.

Woll is the first goalie in NHL history to have each of his first four career playoff starts come in elimination games. Thatcher Demko (2020), Michael Hutchinson (2020) and Manny Fernandez (2003) are the only other netminders to have their first three starts come in win-or-go home contests.