Bruins

Bruins’ Hampus Lindholm saves best playoff performance for right time in Game 7 win

“It’s hockey. It’s the little things. You get a bounce, we get a goal and good things happen.”

Hampus Lindholm scored the game-tying goal and dished out the game-winning assist in Game 7. Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff

May 5, 2024

Hampus Lindholm got off the playoff schneid at just the right time.

The Bruins defenseman scored the game-tying goal and dished out the game-winning assist in their Game 7 win over the Maple Leafs on Saturday, proving to be an unlikely hero in the overtime effort.

Lindholm’s game-tying goal came in a pivotal moment. After William Nylander scored his third goal in two games to put the Maple Leafs up 1-0 with just under 11 minutes left, Lindholm tied it by playing patiently. He waited for Trent Frederic to set a screen in front of Maple Leafs goalie Ilya Samsonov before firing a shot from the center of the left faceoff circle.

The goal marked Lindholm’s first postseason goal since he was with the Ducks in 2018 and just his third point in 18 playoff games with the Bruins since joining the team in 2022. Lindholm acknowledged the increased difficulty of finding the back of the next in the postseason.

“I was just trying to get the puck on net,” Lindholm told reporters. “I’ve been holding onto pucks trying to — making it too hard on myself. You just try to find that opening, get it there, then good things usually happen. … I just tried to be patient, get pucks on net, and get it through. It’s hard this time of year.

“It’s hockey. It’s the little things. You get a bounce, we get a goal and good things happen.”

That wasn’t the last time Lindholm stepped up in the clutch on Saturday. Just under two minutes into the overtime session, the Bruins defenseman dumped a pass into the Leafs zone from the red line. The puck had a perfect ricochet off the sideboards, allowing David Pastrnak to cleanly get it shortly in front of the net after beating three Maple Leafs defenders.

Once Pastrnak had the puck in his control, he only needed to fire off a backhanded shot to send the Bruins to the second round, just how Lindholm envisioned it.

“I’ve played with him for a long enough time to know that I can see when he swings like that,” Lindholm said. “And I know [the Leafs] doing like three across there, so it’s try to get [the puck] behind them and I got a good bounce there and obviously Pasta did his magic.”

Lindholm’s impact on Saturday extended beyond those two plays. He fired off four shots on goal, a playoff career high. He also made a strong play in the defensive zone to prevent Nylander from getting a good opportunity in the first period.

Bruins coach Jim Montgomery complimented Lindholm’s aggresiveness on Saturday as many hope he carries it into the next round.

“Hampus was assertive tonight,” Montgomery said. “He played on his toes, and when he plays on his toes — he shut down [Nylander’s breakaway attempt]. He’s such a good defender.

“And he shot when it was shot-ready. He also had the poise to hold onto the puck on his goal, sidestep, then shoot it.”