David Pastrnak saves Bruins from elimination with OT winner

Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak. Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images

David Pastrnak saves Bruins from elimination with overtime winner in Game 5 against Sabres

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Apr 28, 2026 11:52 PM ET

The Buffalo Sabres were aiming to win their first playoff series since 2007 on Tuesday night in front of their home crowd, but the celebration will have to wait.

Right winger David Pastrnak ruined the party for Buffalo when he scored on a partial breakaway at the 9:14 mark of overtime to lift the Boston Bruins to a 2-1 victory in Game 5 of the best-of-seven series. They'll host the Sabres at TD Garden in Game 6 on Friday (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN).

Boston hopes the winning goal gives Pastrnak a jolt after looking far from his normal self through the first four games of the series.

David Pastrnak's game-winning goal could be turning point for right winger

Pastrnak, a four-time All Star, struggled to get going early in the series. Through the first four games, he logged just five points (one goal and four assists), and his plus-minus (a player's goal differential when on the ice) was -5. The Bruins offense consequently stalled, culminating in an embarrassing 6-1 home loss to the Sabres in Game 4.

PASTA SCORES WE ARE HEADING TO A GAME 6!!!! pic.twitter.com/ENHh3BmSTj
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 29, 2026

The poor play raised questions about whether Pastrnak was injured. He battled knee tendinitis last season, which lingered into the summer and forced him to miss the start of training camp. But he dismissed that concern after Game 4.

"No," Pastrnak said when asked if he was injured, per Lauren Campbell of MassLive.com.

The forward then lamented the opportunity to even the series.

"Wasted opportunity. Unacceptable," Pastrnak said. "We expect better from ourselves. We are better than that."

With a win on Friday, Pastrnak and company would atone for the Game 4 blowout, in which Boston fans booed the team. If he scores another clutch goal in that matchup, the star will hear cheers instead.

Who's to say that'll happen? Tuesday's win, however, should be viewed as an encouraging sign for the Bruins. It indicates that "Pasta" may be healthy and that he's entering playoff mode as the team tries to avoid elimination.

Clark Dalton

Clark Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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