Kings – Bruins: McAvoy’s Backhand Seals Overtime Win in Boston
Charlie McAvoy scored 39 seconds into overtime to give the Boston Bruins a 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings at TD Garden on Tuesday, and Jeremy Swayman made 14 saves in the win. In the kings – bruins matchup, Mason Lohrei had opened the scoring and Drew Doughty tied the game late in the third before McAvoy finished the night.
Kings – Bruins overtime finish
McAvoy finished the game at 0: 39 of overtime when David Pastrnak, after receiving a stretch pass from Mark Kastelic at the blue line, fed a streaking McAvoy who beat Darcy Kuemper with a backhand deke to make it 2-1 for Boston. Mason Lohrei had given the Bruins a 1-0 lead at 8: 22 of the third period with a wrist shot that beat Kuemper off the post, and Drew Doughty tied it at 14: 00 on a one-timer from the right point that deflected off Elias Lindholm’s skate.
The pattern suggests the Bruins converted a high-leverage transition sequence in overtime while the Kings relied on a late defenseman push to force extra time.
Charlie McAvoy returns from injury
McAvoy, who needed facial surgery after being hit by a puck in November, left for the locker room late in the second period but returned for the third wearing an abrasion on his face and later finished the game with the OT winner. In overtime he skated in on Kuemper and went to his backhand for the decisive goal after Pastrnak timed the feed from Kastelic.
The available details point to McAvoy’s immediate impact despite recent surgery and an in-game exit, underscoring his role in key moments for Boston.
Jeremy Swayman ties career high
Jeremy Swayman stopped 14 shots for his 25th win of the season, tying an NHL career high, as the Bruins notched their 13th straight victory on home ice. The Kings were coming off a 5-4 overtime win at the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday and entered the night one point out of the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference; one account lists Darcy Kuemper with 22 saves while another lists him with 21.
The facts suggest Boston’s home dominance and Swayman’s performance had immediate implications for playoff positioning, keeping the Bruins in possession of the East’s second wild-card spot while the Kings remained within striking distance in the West.
Bruins: Host San Jose on Thursday night. Kings: Visit the New York Islanders on Friday night. If Boston keeps producing timely goaltending and quick overtime execution, the result suggests their hold on wild-card positioning will be reinforced.
