For the second straight game, the Boston Bruins have been unable to punch their ticket to Round 2 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Their opponent in the Florida Panthers absolutely refuse to lay down, and have forced what just about everyone prior to the beginning of the series never thought was possible - a Game 7.
It was gritty forward Matthew Tkachuk who vowed after his overtime game winning goal in Game 5 at TD Garden that he and his teammates would be back for a winner-take-all Game 7, and his prediction has come to pass. Tkachuk scored two more goals and added an assist in what was an absolutely wild affair tonight at FLA Live Arena, a 7-5 final score to ensure that this series will be going the distance.
The Bruins, who won an NHL-record 65 games during the regular season, looked rattled multiple times over the course of the game. Goaltender Linus Ullmark followed up his brutal giveaway in overtime of the previous game with another sorely subpar performance between the pipes, allowing six goals.
Head coach Jim Montgomery admitted after the game that he considered pulling Ullmark in favor of backup Jeremy Swayman, and also hinted that it could be the latter who gets the nod in net on Sunday.
A Vezina Trophy candidate for his spectacular record during the regular season, Ullmark hasn't been able to replicate the performance that saw him rack up 40 wins and a goals against average below that of two.
"I felt good throughout the game...unfortunately, I couldn't make that extra save today," Ullmark explained in the dressing room after. "We've been trying to have the mindset throughout the season of closing the series, and we specifically did it during the season. We have one more opportunity on Sunday to get it."
The start time for Game 7 at TD Garden has yet to be announced. Who will get the start in goal for Boston? Who should it be?
