BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) 鈥� David Pastrnak embraces what comes from being the face of the Boston Bruins, heavy as the responsibility might be.
With their season on the line, leave it to the 12th-year forward and team鈥檚 leading scorer to deliver in the clutch.
Leaning on his knack for anticipation, tenaciousness around the net and ability to change course on a dime, Pastrnak鈥檚 breakaway goal 9:14 into overtime on Tuesday night. Buffalo leads the series 3-2, with Game 6 in Boston on Friday.
鈥淚 put a lot of pressure on myself. I鈥檝e been through a lot in my career, so use it as motivation,鈥� the player nicknamed 鈥楶asta鈥� said. 鈥淏ut at the end of the day, I just want to play well.鈥�
He wasn鈥檛 the only member of the Bruins’ veteran core making a difference, with coach Marco Sturm also praising Jeremy Swayman following the goalie’s 25-save outing.
鈥淏ig moments, big game, the big guys show up,鈥� Sturm said. 鈥淎nd (Swayman鈥檚) one of them.鈥�
The same is evident across the league, as the first round of the NHL playoffs reaches the elimination stage for some of the teams still playing.
Staying alive in face of elimination
In Edmonton, the familiar combo of Leon Draisaitl (2 goals) and Connor McDavid (2 assists) kept the Oilers alive to force Game 6 at Anaheim on Thursday.
Minnesota is getting timely production from its top players, (2 goals, 7 assists), in building a 3-2 series lead over Dallas following a 4-2 win. on Thursday.
The concerns in Dallas, aside from missing center Roope Hintz (lower-body injury), is Mikko Rantanen being relatively kept in check. Rantanen has one goal and five assists on a team that’s scored four goals in 5-on-5 situations, fewest of NHL teams still competing.
鈥淚t gets frustrating sometimes. But this is really not the time of year to get frustrated,鈥� Rantanen said. 鈥淵ou got to just keep plugging away, you got to adapt.鈥�
The Atlantic Division champion Sabres , and entered Game 5 with just 10 players who had previously appeared in series-clinching situation.
鈥淭hat elimination game was the first time for our players dealing with it,鈥� Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. 鈥淚 think they got a real good taste of it. Now we know we got to improve in a couple areas.鈥�
Anaheim coach Joel Quenneville’s assessment was no different.
鈥淭hey threw their best shot at us, and we didn鈥檛 respond correctly,鈥� Quenneville said. 鈥淲e learned that you better be ready at puck drop, and we鈥檝e got to play that lesson going forward.鈥�
Dallas Stars at Minnesota Wild
When/Where to Watch: Game 6, Thursday, 7:30 p.m. EDT (TNT).
Series: Wild lead 3-2.
Stars coach Glen Gulutzan is looking for more production beyond Jason Robertson’s five goals and three assists.
鈥淚f you鈥檙e going to win a series, or even win multiple series, you need all contributors, whether they鈥檙e at the top of your line or at the bottom,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o we need a little bit more from everybody.鈥�
For Minnesota, Mats Zuccarello was set up by Kaprizov to score the opening goal in Game 5, his first after missing three due to injury. Kaprizov added another assist and sealed the win with an empty-netter two days after turning 29.
鈥淚 can鈥檛 teach him anything. He鈥檚 got it all,鈥� the 38-year-old Zuccarello said of Kaprizov. 鈥淗e鈥檚 a top player in the league. He鈥檚 got a lot of pressure on him. And my job sometimes is to keep telling him how good he is. He鈥檚 really hard on himself.鈥�
Edmonton Oilers at Anaheim Ducks
When/Where to Watch: Game 6, Thursday, 10 p.m. EDT (TNT).
Series: Ducks lead 3-2.
Edmonton鈥檚 Game 5 win was the first time in the high-scoring series one of the teams has failed to score three goals. Oilers goalie Connor Ingram was hardly tested in stopping 29 shots in his return after a one-game benching.
Anaheim repeatedly shredded the Oilers鈥� defensive structure and made Edmonton look flat in building a 3-1 series lead. The momentum appears to have shifted toward Edmonton, which has closed out nine playoff series in the past four years.
The Ducks are making their , and their regular-season flaws resurfaced with a painfully slow start and defensive breakdowns.
Anaheim entered Tuesday with just eight players having appeared in series-clinching games. The Oilers, meantime, featured 18 players who have appeared in games when facing elimination.
鈥淎ll we did is survive one more day,鈥� McDavid said. 鈥淭he pressure鈥檚 on us, but it鈥檚 a big game for them too. I鈥檓 sure they鈥檒l be feeling that too. Closeout games are tough.鈥�
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AP Sports Writers Greg Beacham, in Los Angeles, and Stephen Hawkins, in Dallas, and The Canadian Press contributed.
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