Maple Leafs force Game 6 with OT win over Bruins

Matthew Knies scored 2:26 into overtime as the Toronto Maple Leafs extended their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series against the Boston Bruins with a 2-1 win in Game 5 on Tuesday.

After John Tavares drove toward the net, a loose puck popped off the pads of Boston goaltender Jeremy Swayman to Knies, who potted it after charging down the slot.

The result cut Boston's advantage in the best-of-seven series to 3-2.

Jake McCabe also scored and Joseph Woll made 27 saves in his first start of the series for Toronto, which will host Game 6 on Thursday.

Woll stopped all four shots he faced during overtime, including early chances by Charlie Coyle and Charlie McAvoy.

Trent Frederic scored Boston's lone goal.

Swayman made 31 saves but took his first loss to Toronto in seven meetings in 2023-24, including the regular season and postseason.

It was a 1-1 game after one period despite the Maple Leafs' dominant 11-2 shot advantage.

McCabe helped Toronto take advantage of the home team's slow start and scored the opening goal at 5:33. After Max Domi's faceoff win, the defenseman took Mitch Marner's feed back to the point, then snapped off a shot that beat Swayman through traffic.

With the assist, Marner became the 12th player in Maple Leafs history to record 50 career playoff points.

The Bruins' second shot of the opening frame found the back of the net at 13:54. Jesper Boqvist's forecheck helped the puck come loose to Frederic for a quick point-blank shot that eluded Woll's glove.

Both goaltenders came up big during a scoreless second, including Swayman making a key save when Domi set up Morgan Rielly at 4:05 during Toronto's second power play of the game.

Boston missed a wide-open opportunity to take the lead 5:11 into the third. Coyle stole the puck and skated down the right wing, but Marchand sent his try just over the net.

Just before the midway mark of the third, Coyle also clanked a short-handed shot from the left circle off the crossbar.

Woll made one of his best stops with 7:30 left in regulation, sprawling out of his crease to deny Frederic on the doorstep.

Also helping to force overtime, Swayman denied Tyler Bertuzzi on a two-on-one with 5:05 to go.

--Field Level Media