Pavel Zacha Scores Overtime Winner to Lift Bruins Past Senators
The Boston Bruins claimed their fifth consecutive victory with a 3-2 overtime win against the Ottawa Senators at TD Garden. The result helped them avenge a heavy 7-2 defeat suffered in Ottawa a week earlier.
Forward Pavel Zacha sealed the game by pushing a pass from Charlie McAvoy past goaltender Linus Ullmark with just 5.5 seconds left in overtime. The dramatic finish came after a chaotic minute that saw the Bruins gain a power play, lose it within seconds, and rely on McAvoy’s standout performance.
McAvoy’s Game-Changing Shift
Playing a game-high 26 minutes, McAvoy delivered his finest moments in the final shift. His speed and creativity generated several scoring chances before Zacha netted his fourth goal of the season.
“Charlie made a hell of a play,” said Bruins coach Marco Sturm. “For big win.”
Zacha Praises McAvoy’s Skill
“He’s a great skater and he beat his guy and made it a two-on-one and then he made a great play,” said Zacha. “In overtime he used his skill and took over.”
Redemption After a Tough Loss
The victory, Boston’s sixth in their last seven games, improved their record to 9-7. The team saw it as payback for the difficult loss in Ottawa, which had been their worst of the season.
“I think that was a big motivation for us,” said Zacha. “We had a bad game there and lost pretty badly, so we were eager to bounce back and I’m happy that we won.”
Author’s summary: Boston edged out Ottawa in overtime thanks to Zacha’s clutch goal and McAvoy’s stellar play, marking their fifth straight win and redemption for an earlier defeat.