Jake DeBrusk watched the tiebreaking goal go into the net from ice level
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The Bruins rookie didn’t even have time to climb up off his knees before he was mobbed by teammates.
”Jake had a real coming-out party in the series,” coach Bruce Cassidy said after DeBrusk scored twice to help Boston beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 7-4 on Wednesday night and advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals.
”He scored going to the net, dirty areas,” said Cassidy, whose team opens the second round against the Lightning in Tampa Bay on Saturday. ”That’s always the first thing: play inside, be willing to get hit, fight for your space. That’s playoff hockey. They weren’t freebies. They’ve been real greasy, as advertised.”
Five years after rallying from a three-goal, third-period deficit and beating Toronto in Game 7 of their first-round series, the Bruins again scored four straight goals to eliminate the Maple Leafs. After Kasperi Kapanen put Toronto ahead 4-3 with a short-handed goal in the second, Torey Krug tied it, DeBrusk gave Boston the lead with 14:35 to play.
Despite the final score, the teams were tied or separated by one goal for the first 2 1/2 periods
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”For entertainment value, that was probably one of the better Game 7s you’ll see,” said Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask, who stopped just 20 of 24 shots. ”It was only a one-goal game going into the third and we shut it down and scored some good goals.”
Danton Heinen scored his first NHL postseason goal, Patrice Bergeron had a goal and two assists, and David Krejci had three assists for the Bruins. In his first NHL postseason action, DeBrusk had seven points in seven games.
”Uh, it went pretty well,” he said with a laugh. ”Obviously, with the win it was special – something I’ll never forget. I’ll never forget this series just in general, first playoffs. I was really happy to contribute.”
Frederik Andersen had 29 saves for the Maple Leafs, who have not won a playoff series since 2004. They came close in the first round in 2013, when they rallied from a three-games-to-one deficit against Boston and took a 4-1 lead in Game 7.
”It’s always disappointing
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Travis Dermott also scored for the Maple Leafs, who again won back-to-back games after falling behind 3-1 in the series. Game 6 came in Toronto on the night that a man drove a van onto a crowded sidewalk in the city, killing 10 people and injuring more than a dozen others.
The teams combined for five goals in the first period before Toronto scored twice in the second, taking a 4-3 lead when Kapanen beat Marchand to a loose puck and then held him off, skidding to a stop in front of Rask before poking the around his left skate.
In the third, the Bruins scored two 4-on-4 goals after matching penalties opened up the ice. Krug made it 4-4 on a slapper from the point just 1:10 in, and then DeBrusk put the Bruins ahead.
”I think that we’re all just pretty excited right now to have a chance to continue playing together and take on Tampa,” DeBrusk said. ”We’re going to enjoy this one tonight, but then go back to the drawing board.”
Notes: Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy, in his first full season on the Boston bench
Cheap Bradley Chubb Jersey , was named a finalist for the Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s coach of the year. … Celtics Hall of Famer Tommy Heinsohn was the honorary fan banner captain, getting the crowd riled up before the game. … The Bruins are 14-12 in Game 7s and Toronto is 12-11. … Boston’s Kevan Miller had two assists for his first multi-point playoff game.
The Thunder hope they have run into some more good luck in the second round.
Oklahoma City took Virginia guard Devon Hall with the 53rd overall selection in the NBA Draft on Thursday night and Texas-Arlington forward Kevin Hervey four picks later.
The Thunder got contributions last season from 2015 second-round pick Dakari Johnson and 2013 second-round pick Alex Abrines, and they hope Hall and Hervey can develop and eventually produce. Thunder general manager Sam Presti liked the fact that both were four-year college players.
”Hall and Hervey are guys that, any time you’re picking in the 50s, the main objective is to try to shift the odds and try to pick a player who can play in the NBA,” Presti said.
The 6-foot-5 Hall averaged 11.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game last season for the Cavaliers, who entered the NCAA Tournament as the nation’s No. 1-ranked team. The stout defensive player shot 43.2 percent from 3-point range last season. He was an All-ACC second team selection.
The Thunder said they watched Hall at the Portsmouth Invitational and had him work out in Oklahoma City.
”When you get guys who have been through it with top teams in the country, playing high-level ACC basketball, you’re happy to add those guys into the program.” Thunder vice president Will Dawkins said.
Hervey, a 6-foot-9 forward with a 7-3 wingspan, averaged 20.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game last season and was a first-team All-Sun Belt selection. As a senior, he scored 24 points against Alabama and 24 points against Creighton. He fell two points short of the school’s single-season scoring record.
As a junior
http://www.raidersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-p.j.-hall-jersey , Hervey was the Sun Belt Player of the Year. He finished as the program’s all-time rebounding leader and second in total points scored, field goals and field goal attempts. He set a program record for most career double-doubles.
”With Hervey, he’s somebody that was asked to carry a lot of load,” Dawkins said. ”Offensively, he’s somebody who has some upside.”
Hervey missed 19 games as a sophomore due to a knee injury. Presti believes he’s better than his draft position would indicate.
They will join a team that has an uncertain future. The Thunder had high hopes last season after adding Paul George and Carmelo Anthony in trades to join Russell Westbrook, but the Thunder stumbled early, went 48-34 and lost in the first round of the playoffs. George has a player option on his deal and could leave this summer.
ESPN reported that the Thunder traded for the No. 45 pick, Kentucky redshirt freshman Hamidou Diallo. Brooklyn made the pick for Charlotte. Presti said only there was ”potentially some stuff that happened tonight.”
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