What had been a perfectly normal post season affair with tight checking, good goaltending and enough nastiness to satisfy even the most jaded hockey fan, turned into a slugfest in the third period in Boston Friday night.
The Bruins held a 1-0 lead heading to the third period with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
David Pastrnak scored two goals for the Bruins, including the game-winner with 88 seconds left in the game.
Pastrnak made the score 4-3 after the Blue Jackets had rallied from 2-0 and 3-1 deficits to tie the game at 3-3.
“It’s nice to score goals,” Pastrnak said. “… [We] had a good game as a line, picked each other up when it’s the most needed.”
The Blue Jackets had been stymied for 40 minutes before finally breaking through in the third.
“Things happen for a reason,” Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella said. “And I truly believe that. We’ll be back here for Game 7.”
David Krejci and Brad Marchand also scored for the Bruins to stake them a 2-0 lead in the third period.
“I’ve had a few looks from that spot where [Bobrovsky] continues to come across with that glove up in the air and [ends up] catching them,” Marchand said. “You know, he made an incredible save on that first one. So it was more of just the fact that I was shaking my head at how nice of a save that was.”
Seth Jones got the rally started with a goal to cut the deficit to one on a goal that was waved off and then counted after video review.
“Just trying to throw it in the paint, to be honest,” Jones said. “I saw some bodies and sticks. Just try to throw it in there, try to create something.”
Ryan Dzingel and Dean Kukan scored to tie the game before Pastrnak struck for the winner.
Tuukka Rask made 33 saves to get the win.
“It’s huge,” Rask said. “It’s a best-out-of-3 there, so you want to take care of business at home like we did today. But a great game. They’re a great team too. They don’t quit. You give them a little life, they’re going to take it.”
Game 6 is in Columbus Monday night.
[WATCH: All Blue Jackets vs. Bruins Game 5 highlights | Complete series coverage]
Sergei Bobrovsky made 32 saves in the loss.
“Just play smart hockey, play our style of hockey for a full 60 minutes, we should be fine,” Jones said. “We’re excited about the energy in the building and the way the environment and our fans are going to react for us in Game 6.”
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