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

TORONTO – William Nylander scored twice, Joseph Woll made 22 saves and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Boston Bruins 2-1 on Thursday night to force a seventh game in the first round of the Eastern Conference series.

“We fought and competed,” said Nylander, who played in the first three games of the series because of an undisclosed illness. “And Woller was amazing.”

Toronto overcame a 3-1 series deficit, also avoiding elimination with a 2-1 overtime victory in Boston on Tuesday night, to send the series back to Boston for a winner-take-all final. Saturday night. The winner of the series will face the Florida Panthers.

Morgan Rielly assisted on both goals.

Jeremy Swayman stopped 24 shots for the Bruins, who also blew a 3-1 lead against the Florida Panthers last year in the first round before losing in Game 7 after a record-setting regular season. Morgan Geekie spoiled Woll’s closing bid with 0.1 seconds left.

Bruins coach Jim Montgomery wants to see more from his team in the decision and called out forward David Pastrnak by name.

“Your best players need to be their best this time of year,” Montgomery said. “I think the effort is tremendous and they need to make some big plays in key moments. “I think (captain Brad) Marchand did that in the series. The dough needs to intensify.

Said Pastrnak: “Maybe I didn’t get enough shots. Maybe I should have a little more of a shooter mentality. Normally, that always helps me.”

Toronto was without Auston Matthews for the second game in a row after the star center was removed from Game 4 due to illness.

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

“Important stuff,” Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe said. “What do you look for in a player of his caliber.”

The goal sparked wild celebrations inside an electric Scotiabank Arena – and outside the rink, as Maple Leaf Square turned into a blue and white mosh pit.

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

“They are obviously very desperate, fighting for their lives,” Marchand said. “So that’s always the hardest game to get. We know this. But I thought tonight was better than the last game. … If someone told us at the beginning of the season that we would be in Game 7 at home against Toronto, we would take that all day.

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

The Bruins had just one shot on goal in the 27th minute.

“It gives me a lot of confidence,” Woll said. “Guys were blocking shots and getting closer.”

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