BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Bruins have always responded to the ugly moments of their season. And on the brink of elimination on Tuesday at Keybank Center, they did it one more time. David Pastrnak scored at 9:14 of overtime on a partial breakaway to lift the B’s to a 2-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres to force a Game 6 in Boston on Friday. Hampus Lindholm sprung Pastrnak with a pass from his own ...

The Buffalo Sabres' Conor Timmins collides with the Boston Bruins' David Pastrnak in Game 5 of a first-round playoff series at KeyBank Center on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, in Buffalo, New York.

Joe Hrycych/Getty Images North America/TNS

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Bruins have always responded to the ugly moments of their season. And on the brink of elimination on Tuesday at Keybank Center, they did it one more time.

David Pastrnak scored at 9:14 of overtime on a partial breakaway to lift the B’s to a 2-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres to force a Game 6 in Boston on Friday. Hampus Lindholm sprung Pastrnak with a pass from his own zone.

The game went into the third period tied at 1-1 and both teams had chances to get the go-ahead goal. The B’s survived a particularly hairy moment in the final couple of minutes of regulation when there was a pileup in the crease. The puck squirted out to Tyson Kozak at the side of the net but Jeremy Swayman was able to get his pad on Kozak’s first attempt. The rebound came back to the Sabre, who then lift it into the crease area, hoping for a good bounce but Lindholm was able to cradle it and clear the puck out of danger.

This one looked like it might be an early party for the Sabres and their fans.

The Sabres had chased the game in both of the first two contests in Buffalo, but the B’s handed them an early opportunity and they didn’t turn it down.

After Zach Benson went near Jeremy Swayman after the whistle, Mark Kastelic took a shot at him behind the net and was sent off for roughing.

The Sabres responded with their first official power play goal of the series at 3:35 on their 18th try. Jason Zucker took the puck in deep on the left side and first pass attempt was blocked by Andrew Peeke. But the puck came right back to Zucker, who then had a wide open Rasmus Dahlin in his sights. Coming down from the right point, Dahlin had a good chunk of the net at which to shoot and he didn’t miss, just beating Jeremy Swayman’s outstretched glove.

The B’s also got an early power play but they could not do much with it until Lindholm hit the pipe next to Alex Lyon, who was forced to make some excellent saves in the first.

In fact, the B’s held a 9-5 shot on net advantage and a 28-12 edge in overall shots in the first. Lyon’s best save came on a strong fourth-line shift when it looked like Tanner Jeannot had a goal from in tight but Lyon somehow was able to keep it out.

With Viktor Arvidsson (upper body) out and Lukas Reichel scratched after an ineffective Game 4, both Mikey Eyssimont and Alex Steeves were inserted into the lineup and both brought good energy in the first.

Meanwhile, the Sabres lost third-line center Noah Ostlund, who had such a positive impact when he was inserted into the Buffalo lineup for Game 3, suffered a lower body injury in the first and did not return.

In the second period, Buffalo got another power play when Lindholm got called for tripping, but the B’s were able to survive this one but they lost Kastelic on a shot block. He returned but he appeared to be laboring.

Then the B’s tied it up at 9:24 of the second. After winning several puck battles down low, a loose puck kicked out to Elias Lindholm, who spun around in the slot and beat Lyon low on the glove side.

The B’s had numerous chances to take the lead on another power play but came up empty and, as time was running out on the advantage, Marat Khusnutdinov was called for high sticking.

Again, the B’s killed it got to the second intermission all even at 1-1.