Nylander and Woll help Maple Leafs beat Bruins 2-1 to force Game 7

TORONTO (AP) — William Nylander scored twice, Joseph Woll made 22 saves and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Boston Bruins 2-1 on Thursday night to force a seventh game in the first round of the Eastern Conference series.

Toronto overcame a 3-1 series deficit and also avoided elimination with a 2-1 overtime win in Boston on Tuesday night to send the series back to Boston for a winner-take-all final on Saturday night. The winner of the series will face the Florida Panthers.

Morgan Rielly assisted on both goals.

Jeremy Swayman stopped 24 shots for the Bruins, who also blew a 3-1 lead against the Florida Panthers in the first round last year before losing in Game 7 after a record-breaking regular season. Morgan Geekie spoiled Woll’s shutout bid with 0.1 seconds left.

Toronto was without Auston Matthews for the second straight game after the star center was pulled from Game 4 due to an illness.

Nylander opened the scoring with 54.8 seconds left in the second period. The Swedish winger took a pass from Timothy Liljegren in the offensive zone before breaking free from his check and firing a shot that glanced toward Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy in front and beat Swayman on the short side.

The goal sparked wild celebrations inside an electric Scotiabank Arena – and outside the rink as Maple Leaf Square turned into a mosh pit of blue and white.

Toronto made it 2-0 with 2:13 left in the game when Nylander came in alone on a pass from Matthew Knies and slid a backhander between Swayman’s pads.

Woll is the first goalie in NHL history to have each of his first four career playoff starts come in elimination games. Thatcher Demko (2020), Michael Hutchinson (2020) and Manny Fernandez (2003) are the only other netminders to make their first three starts in win-or-go-home games.