NHL· Season 2025
Pastrnak's OT winner at 9:14 keeps the Bruins alive in a 2-1 win over Buffalo. The Sabres still lead the first-round series 3-2.
Match Videos
Match Summary
Boston Bruins defeated Buffalo Sabres 2:1 after ot. The match was played in NHL 2025. Goals were scored by R. Dahlin 3′, E. Lindholm 9′, D. Pastrnak 10′. Score by period: P1: 1–0, P2: 0–1, P3: 0–0, OT: 0–1.
Player Ratings
1.0 – 10.0David Pastrnak
OT winner at 9:14 with a backhand-to-forehand finish on Lyon. Vintage Pastrnak.
Hampus Lindholm
Stretch pass for the OT winner; rock-solid in his own end across all four phases.
Elias Lindholm
Tied the game in the second on an individual effort and kept the Bruins in control of momentum.
Jeremy Swayman
29 saves on 30 shots — held Buffalo to one across regulation and overtime.
Match Analysis
AI SummaryPastrnak's OT Winner Keeps the Bruins Alive
David Pastrnak scored at 9:14 of overtime as the Boston Bruins avoided elimination with a 2-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference First Round at KeyBank Center. The Sabres still lead the series 3-2.
Buffalo 1, Boston 2 (OT) — periods 1-0, 0-1, 0-0, 0-1
Goals: 1st – Dahlin (Zucker, Thompson) PP 3:35. 2nd – Lindholm 9:50. OT – Pastrnak (H. Lindholm) 9:14. Goalies: Lyon – Swayman (29 saves on 30). Shots: 25-29.
Dahlin Strikes First on the Power Play
Buffalo came out hunting. Jason Zucker's initial pass attempt for Tage Thompson was blocked by Andrew Peeke, but the puck rebounded right back to Zucker, who fed Dahlin in the right circle for a one-timer at 3:35. KeyBank Center, packed and loud, sensed the close-out coming.
Pastrnak: "We're Neighbours"
Elias Lindholm tied it midway through the second on an individual rush. The third period was the most dramatic of the night — Buffalo got two power plays, Boston survived both, and Swayman made stop after stop on Tage Thompson's shifts. Asked about his chemistry with Hampus Lindholm after the game, Pastrnak grinned: "We're neighbours, so we always call it the neighbour-line. We have chemistry, we have fun out there, and I'm happy it worked out."
Overtime: Krebs Turns It Over, Lindholm Springs Pastrnak
The OT winner came from one mistake. Peyton Krebs lost the puck at his own blue line; Hampus Lindholm immediately sent a stretch pass to Pastrnak, who skated in on a partial breakaway and dragged Lyon out with a backhand fake before tucking the puck inside the right post at 9:14. Lindy Ruff said afterwards: "It will be a very tough series, I said that before it began. We had chances in the third we didn't convert."
What It Means
Boston returns to TD Garden with the series still on the line — but with a season's worth of confidence in Pastrnak's right hand. Buffalo, looking for its first second-round berth since 2007, suddenly has to fight off a wounded Bruins team in a hostile barn. The pressure swings.
Sources: NHL.com, NBC Sports Boston, sportnet.sme.sk
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the final score of Buffalo vs Boston Game 5?
Boston won 2-1 in overtime in Game 5 of the first round.
Who scored the OT winner?
David Pastrnak at 9:14 of overtime, set up by Hampus Lindholm.
What is the series state?
Buffalo leads 3-2; Game 6 is at TD Garden in Boston on Friday.
Who were the goaltenders?
Alex Lyon for Buffalo, Jeremy Swayman for Boston (29 saves).
What was the shots-on-goal count?
Shots on goal 25-29 in favour of Boston.
When is Game 6?
Friday at TD Garden in Boston.
Match Events
Key match events between Buffalo Sabres and Boston Bruins — 3 goals and 6 cards recorded during the match.
Roughing
T. Thompson
Tripping
Tripping
Tripping
High sticking
High sticking
Match Context
Stanley Cup Playoffs — First Round, Game 5
Buffalo had its first chance to advance past the first round since 2007. Boston was on the brink of elimination.
Buffalo Sabres
A win clinches Buffalo's first second-round berth in nineteen years.
Boston Bruins
Boston had to win or pack up the season.
Pre-Match Analysis
Buffalo Sabres Form
W-W-L-W-W
Boston Bruins Form
L-L-W-L-L
Head to Head
Buffalo led the series 3-1 going into Game 5.
Match Report
Rasmus Dahlin opened the scoring on a power play at 3:35 of the first after a Zucker-Thompson sequence. Boston pushed back; Elias Lindholm tied it midway through the second on an individual effort. Both teams traded chances through a scoreless third. In overtime, Peyton Krebs turned the puck over at the defensive blue line, Hampus Lindholm sent David Pastrnak in alone, and Pastrnak finished with a backhand-to-forehand deke on Alex Lyon at 9:14.
Turning Point
Krebs' turnover at the defensive blue line in OT and Lindholm's stretch pass — a textbook break and a textbook Pastrnak finish.
Boston survives Game 5 and forces the series back to TD Garden. Buffalo still leads 3-2 with two chances to close it.
Rivalry since 2016
Buffalo Sabres vs Boston Bruins Head to Head Results· 50
Buffalo Sabres and Boston Bruins have met 50 times — Buffalo Sabres won 16, Boston Bruins won 34, with 0 draws. Their rivalry dates back to 2016. Boston Bruins leads the head-to-head with 34 victories from 50 meetings. A combined 276 goals have been scored across these fixtures, averaging 5.52 per match (115 for the home side, 161 for the visitors). Both teams scored in 43 matches (86%). Over 2.5 goals landed in 49 games (98%), making it a fixture that tends to produce goals. Buffalo Sabres are currently unbeaten in the last 3 meetings. The highest-scoring encounter finished 6–4 in 2021.
Recent Meetings
Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
API data: 15 May 2026