Pavel Zacha Scores Overtime Winner to Lift Bruins to Fifth Straight Victory
The Boston Bruins secured a 3-2 overtime win against the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night at TD Garden, marking their fifth consecutive victory. Pavel Zacha scored the decisive goal by jamming a pass from Charlie McAvoy past goalie Linus Ullmark with just 5.5 seconds left in the extra period.
Memorable Final Minute in Overtime
The final minute of overtime was intense, with the Bruins briefly earning a power play, then quickly losing the advantage within three seconds. McAvoy played a pivotal role throughout the shift, showcasing exceptional skill and speed.
“Charlie made a hell of a play,” said Bruins coach Marco Sturm. “For big win.”
McAvoy’s Impact and Zacha’s Performance
McAvoy led the team in ice time with 26 minutes, saving his best efforts for the critical moments and creating several scoring opportunities that culminated in Zacha’s fourth goal of the season.
“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. “So, I think that’s something in overtime that he used his skill and took over.”
Motivation from Previous Loss
The win improved the Bruins’ record to 9-7 and served as redemption for their worst loss of the season, a 7-2 defeat in Ottawa a week earlier.
“I think that was a big motivation for us,” Zacha said. “We had a bad game there and lost pretty badly, so I think before the game we were motivated to give it back and I’m happy that we won.”
Celebration erupted as Zacha secured the win in the final seconds, reinforcing the team’s momentum moving forward.
Author's summary: Pavel Zacha’s last-second overtime goal secured the Bruins’ fifth straight win, fueled by motivation to bounce back from a heavy defeat in Ottawa.