Pavel Zacha Scores Overtime Winner Against Senators
The Boston Bruins secured their fifth consecutive victory with a thrilling 3-2 overtime win over the Ottawa Senators at TD Garden. The game served as redemption for their toughest defeat of the season, a 7-2 loss in Ottawa just a week earlier.
Clutch Finish in Overtime
With only 5.5 seconds remaining in the extra frame, Pavel Zacha capitalized on a feed from Charlie McAvoy, slipping the puck past Linus Ullmark to seal the win. The final minute of overtime was chaotic, with the Bruins briefly gaining a power play, losing it within seconds, and McAvoy dominating the ice in what many called his best shift of the year.
Coach and Player Reactions
“Charlie made a hell of a play,” said Bruins coach Marco Sturm. “For big win.”
Zacha credited McAvoy’s skating and vision for setting up the decisive play.
“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. “In overtime, he used his skill and took over.”
Motivation and Momentum
The win marked Boston’s sixth victory in their last seven games, improving their record to 9–7. Zacha admitted that the memory of their earlier loss to Ottawa fueled their determination.
“I think that was a big motivation for us,” said Zacha. “We had a bad game there and lost pretty badly, so we were motivated to give it back and I’m happy that we won.”
Author’s Summary: Zacha’s overtime heroics powered the Bruins to a fifth straight win, sealing redemption against Ottawa and showcasing McAvoy’s game-changing performance in the final moments.