SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Jeremy Swayman backed up his victory vow with 28 saves, Charlie McAvoy added to the list of disputed goals in this matchup with the go-ahead marker and the Boston Bruins staved off elimination by beating the Florida Panthers 2-1 in Game 5 of their NHL playoff series on Tuesday night.
Morgan Geekie also scored for the Bruins, who improved to 2-0 in elimination games this season — they also won a Game 7 over Toronto in Round 1 — and finally found a way to hold the Panthers’ offence in check.
Sam Reinhart scored for Florida, and Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 26 shots.
Florida — which saw its series lead cut to 3-2 — had 15 goals on 107 shots in Games 2, 3 and 4 combined, all of them Panthers wins. But on Tuesday, the Panthers were held to 29 shots and Swayman looked in total control the whole way.
Game 6 is in Boston on Friday. Game 7, if necessary, would be back in Florida on Sunday.
Elsewhere in the NHL on Tuesday:
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OILERS 3 CANUCKS 2
EDMONTON, Alta. (AP) — Evan Bouchard scored the game-winning goal with 38.1 seconds on the game clock and Edmonton edged Vancouver in Game 4 of their second-round playoff series.
The victory levelled the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series at 2-2, with Game 5 set for Thursday night in Vancouver.
Leon Draisaitl opened the scoring for the Oilers on a first-period power play and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins added a tally late in the second period.
Conor Garland and Dakota Joshua had third-period goals for the Canucks, who lost their first road game of the post-season.
The Associated Press