The Bruins didn’t make it easy, but they finally dispatched the pesky Maple Leafs courtesy of a Game 7 overtime winner from David Pastrnak.
Boston will now head south to Florida, where the Panthers are waiting for Game 1 on Monday night. The Celtics, meanwhile, are still waiting for their second-round opponent, which will be decided this afternoon.
Let’s get into it.
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About last night and what’s on deck
Boston looked on the brink of collapse when William Nylander gave the Maple Leafs the lead in the third period, with Jim Montgomery’s Bruins looking poised to become a trivia question (who is the only team in NHL/NBA/MLB history to blow 3-1 leads in back-to-back postseasons?) instead of a contender.
But Hampus Lindholm quickly tied the game, Jeremy Swayman continued his brilliant series between the pipes, and Boston’s Czech superstar picked a good time to finally reappear with a fresh serving of pasta.
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After giving their fans a healthy amount of sports PTSD in this series, the Bruins now move on to face … let me just check my notes here … the Florida Panthers. Awesome.
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🏀 Anthony Edwards is, without a doubt, that guy. The Timberwolves’ blossoming superstar poured in 43 points as Minnesota stole Game 1 from the defending champion Nuggets on the road in what looks like a special series in the making out West.
🏀 The Celtics will find out who their second-round opponent will be Sunday with the Magic and Cavaliers facing off in Game 7 this afternoon (1 p.m., ESPN).
🏒 There was no other NHL action on Saturday, but PWHL Boston punched its ticket to the league’s first postseason with a win over Montreal after — get this — blowing a 3-0 lead in the third period. Is it something in the water around here?
🏒 The Hurricanes and Rangers will open their second-round series Sunday afternoon, before the Stars and Bruce Cassidy’s Golden Knights play a Game 7 of their own down in Dallas.
Up next: The Bruins will open the second round on the road in Florida on Monday, with another late puck drop set for 8 p.m. on ESPN. The Celtics will host, uh, somebody, probably, on Tuesday night for Game 1 at TD Garden. That one is set for 7 p.m. on TNT.
In the know: Conor Ryan on the Bruins’ Game 7 thriller
Amin: What a finish to a rollercoaster of a series. What was it like in the building through the third period and overtime?
Conor: Man, did the Bruins (and their collective fanbase) need a win like that. That might have been the loudest I’ve heard the Garden in years, especially right out of the gate with Patrice Bergeron serving as fan banner captain. But there was some nervous energy percolating throughout the building as the minutes ticked away.
It’s only natural for Bruins fans to assume the worst – especially with other crushing results on home ice (2019 vs. St. Louis, 2023 vs. Florida) still fresh in their memory. But Hampus Lindholm’s equalizer sparked the crowd once again and the decibel meter really didn’t dip after that.
A win like this is huge for a fanbase worried if this team was mired in first-round purgatory, and the elation that followed after David Pastrnak tucked the puck past Samsonov reflected that. An all-timer on Causeway Street.
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Amin: It’s a short turnaround for the Bruins as they head to Florida for Game 1 of the second round on Monday. How much better do they need to be to have a shot against the Panthers?
Conor: Congrats on beating the Maple Leafs, Bruins! Now go catch a flight Sunday afternoon to play what might be the best team in the NHL. They didn’t clinch the Presidents’ Trophy, but the Florida Panthers are a battle-tested team loaded with depth, skill, and a style of play that is seemingly built for playoff hockey.
Beyond needing their netminders to be stellar once again, the Bruins desperately need a few of their top forwards to start landing punches in this next round — headlined by Charlie Coyle (zero points at 5-on-5 play) and Pavel Zacha (two points over seven games).
What’s good?
Need something to watch with the Bruins and Celtics both off on Sunday night? We’ve got you covered.
You might want to clear your schedule for 8 p.m. EDT, because there’s one thing everyone will be talking about tomorrow: The roast of Tom Brady.
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Yes, that’s right. The former Patriots quarterback, owner of seven Super Bowl rings and some stunningly defined cheekbones, is offering himself up to the comedy gods at the Netflix is a Joke Festival in Los Angeles.
”G.R.O.A.T. The Greatest Roast Of All Time: Tom Brady” is airing live on Netflix tonight, and will be available for streaming after. Kevin Hart is hosting and Julian Edelman, Rob Gronkowski, Drew Bledsoe, and Randy Moss are expected to participate. But I’m most looking forward to the appearance of Bill Belichick, who is reportedly set to dish out a few zingers. Bring ‘em on, coach.
I know it’s not about the Bruins or Celtics. But if you watch, let me know what you think at gardenparty@globe.com. — Katie McInerney
Does your business have something exciting happening for the playoffs? Email us at gardenparty@globe.com 🎉
For the group chat
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I’m not even really sure what we were stressed about. Do you know how hard it is to out-choke the Maple Leafs?
The fallout on the other side of this series has been, to be honest, very funny. Let’s put Toronto’s playoff futility in perspective, with some numbers courtesy of @LeafsIastCup on Twitter (I’m not calling it the other thing):
The Maple Leafs last won the Stanley Cup 20,823 days ago. They did so in the same year Carl Yastrzemski won the Triple Crown and the Green Bay Packers beat the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl I.
Toronto last beat Boston in the playoffs 23,770 days ago, when Dwight D. Eisenhower was president and Dan Shaughnessy was starting kindergarten.
After scraping back from a 3-1 deficit to force a Game 7, with Auston Matthews returning, some Leafs fans thought it might be different this year. It was not.
You see: The Bruins merely adopted the choke. The Maple Leafs were born in it. Molded by it.
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Go deeper
Tara Sullivan: David Pastrnak answered coach Jim Montgomery’s challenge, and saved the Bruins’ season in the process
Sliding near the net, puck on his stick, David Pastrnak did what David Pastrnak does. A slick move, a nifty shot, and a goal. The man they call Pasta saved the Bruins season. He might just have saved himself, too.
Kevin Paul Dupont’s observations from Game 7
Simple is often best. Simple on Saturday night advanced the Bruins to Round 2 of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly had the last swipe at David Pastrnak, but his reach wasn’t long enough, and the simple, straight-ahead, Hockey 101 play helped the Bruins escape what would have been an agonizing summer had they lost again in Round 1 after holding a 3-1 series lead.
Kristaps Porzingis ‘expecting to recover at a historic rate’
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When Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis felt his right calf muscle pop during last Monday’s Game 4 victory over the Heat, he feared the worst. So he was relieved when an evaluation revealed he had suffered just a strain, ensuring that his quest for a first NBA title could likely resume at some point. But he acknowledged Saturday that he does not expect the process to be particularly swift or easy.
Amin Touri can be reached at amin.touri@globe.com.
The Boston Celtics play the Indiana Pacers tonight for Game 3 of the NBA Eastern Conference finals. Down two games, the Pacers are in desperate need of a win, or find themselves one loss away from a clean sweep and an exit from the playoffs.
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Keep reading for how and when to watch the Celtics vs. Pacers Game 3 tonight.
How and when to watch Boston Celtics vs. Indiana Pacers Game 3
Game 3 of the Boston Celtics vs. Indiana Pacers NBA Playoffs series will be played on Saturday, May 25, 2024 at 8:30 p.m. ET (5:30 p.m. PT). The game will air on ABC and stream on Sling TV and the platforms featured below.
How to watch Boston Celtics vs. Indiana Pacers Game 3 without cable
If your cable subscription doesn’t carry ABC or you’ve cut the cord with your cable company, you can still watch today’s game. Below are the platforms on which you can watch today’s game live.
Save $25 on Sling TV: The most cost-effective way to stream the Celtics vs. Pacers game
If you don’t have cable TV that includes ABC, one of the most cost-effective ways to stream today’s game is through a subscription to Sling TV. To watch today’s game, you’ll need a subscription to the Blue tier, which includes access to ABC, and your local network affiliates (where available). To level up your coverage and get access to NBA playoff games and the NBA Finals broadcast on ESPN, subscribe to the Orange + Blue tier plan.
The Blue tier is $45 per month. The Sling’s Orange + Blue tier costs $60 per month, but the platform is currently offering $25 off the first month of any pricing tier, making the Orange + Blue tier $35 for the first month.
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Note: Because Sling TV doesn’t carry CBS, you won’t be able to watch CBS-aired programming like next year’s NFL games on CBS. To watch these games, plus PGA golf, UEFA Champions League and more live sports, we recommend you also subscribe to Paramount+ with Showtime. Paramount+ with Showtime costs $12 per month after a one-week free trial.
Note: CBS Essentials and Paramount+ with Showtime are both subsidiaries of Paramount.
Top features of Sling TV Orange + Blue tier:
Sling TV is our top choice to stream the NBA Playoffs.
There are 46 channels to watch in total, including ABC, NBC and Fox (where available).
You get access to NBA games airing on TNT.
All subscription tiers include 50 hours of cloud-based DVR storage.
Watch the Celtics vs. Pacers game for free with Fubo
You can also catch today’s game on Fubo. Fubo is a sports-centric streaming service that offers access to ABC and ESPN, in addition to almost every NFL game next season.
To watch the NBA Playoffs without cable, start a seven-day free trial of Fubo. You can begin watching immediately on your TV, phone, tablet or computer. In addition to NBA basketball, you’ll have access to NFL football, MLB, NBA, NHL, MLS and international soccer games. Fubo’s Pro Tier is priced at $80 per month after your free seven-day trial.
Sports fans will want to consider adding on the $7.99 per month Fubo Extra package, which includes MLB Network, NBA TV, NHL Network, Tennis Channel, SEC Network and more channels with live games. Or upgrade to the Fubo Elite tier and get all the Fubo Extra channels, plus the ability to stream in 4K, starting at $90 per month ($70 for the first month).
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Top features of FuboTV Pro Tier:
There are no contracts with Fubo, you can cancel anytime.
The Pro tier includes over 180 channels, so there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
Fubo includes most channels you’ll need to watch live sports, including CBS (not available through Sling TV).
All tiers come with 1,000 hours of cloud-based DVR recording.
Stream on your TV, phone, tablet and other devices.
Hulu + Live TV/ESPN+ bundle: Watch the Celtics vs. Pacers game live
You can watch today’s game with the Hulu + Live TV/ESPN+ bundle. The bundle features 95 channels, including ABC, TNT, local network affiliates and ESPN. It also includes the ESPN+ streaming service. Unlimited DVR storage is also included. Watch today’s game, the 2024 NBA playoffs, MLB this season and network-aired NFL games next season with Hulu + Live TV/ESPN+ bundle.
Hulu + Live TV comes bundled with ESPN+ and Disney+. It’s priced at $77 per month after a three-day free trial.
The best place to get NBA Playoffs fan gear: Fanatics
Rooting from home is more fun while repping your team with the latest NBA fan gear. Fanatics is our first stop for the newest NBA fan gear, our go-to for the latest drop of NBA Playoffs and NBA Finals merch like jerseys, commemorative T-shirts, hats and more. Fanatics also has just-released NFL Draft jerseys, like No. 1 overall draft pick Caleb Williams’ new Chicago Bears jersey. Shipping is free with code 24SHIP ($24 minimum order required).
2024 NBA Playoffs: Full playoff schedule
Below is the schedule for the NBA conference finals. All times Eastern.
Eastern Conference
(1) Boston vs. (6) Indiana
• Game 1: Celtics 133, Pacers 128 • Game 2: Celtics 126, Pacers 110 • Game 3: Celtics vs. Pacers, Saturday, May 25 (8:30 ET, ABC) • Game 4: Celtics vs. Pacers, Monday, May 27 (8:00 ET, ESPN) • Game 5: Pacers vs. Celtics, Wednesday, May 29 (8:00 ET, ESPN)* • Game 6: Celtics vs. Pacers, Friday, May 31 (8:00 ET, ESPN)* • Game 7: Pacers vs. Celtics, Sunday, June 2 (8:00 ET, ESPN)*
Boston leads the series 2-0
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Western Conference
3) Minnesota vs. (5) Dallas
• Game 1: Mavericks 108, Timberwolves 105 • Game 2: Mavericks vs. Timberwolves, Friday, May 24 (8:30 ET, TNT) • Game 3: Timberwolves vs. Mavericks, Sunday, May 26 (8:00 ET, TNT) • Game 4: Timberwolves vs. Mavericks, Tuesday, May 28 (8:30 ET, TNT) • Game 5: Mavericks vs. Timberwolves, Thursday, May 30 (8:30 ET, TNT)* • Game 6: Timberwolves vs. Mavericks, Saturday, June 1 (8:30 ET, TNT)* • Game 7: Mavericks vs. Timberwolves, Monday, June 3 (8:30 ET, TNT)*
Dallas leads the series 1-0
* = if necessary
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Conference semifinals schedule
The conference semifinals is a best-of-seven series beginning on May 4, 2024.
Eastern Conference
(1) Boston vs. (4) Cleveland
• Game 1: Celtics 120, Cavaliers 95 • Game 2: Cavaliers 118, Celtics 94 • Game 3: Celtics 106, Cavaliers 93 • Game 4: Celtics 109, Cavaliers 102 • Game 5: Celtics 113, Cavaliers 98
Boston wins series 4-1
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(2) New York vs. (6) Indiana
• Game 1: Knicks 121, Pacers 117 • Game 2: Knicks 130, Pacers 121 • Game 3: Pacers 111, Knicks 106 • Game 4: Pacers 121, Knicks 89 • Game 5: Knicks 121, Pacers 91 • Game 6: Pacers, 116, Knicks 103 • Game 7: Pacers 130, Knicks 109
Indiana wins series 4-3
Western Conference
(1) Oklahoma City vs. (5) Dallas
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• Game 1: Thunder 117, Mavericks 95 • Game 2: Mavericks 119, Thunder 110 • Game 3: Mavericks 105, Thunder 101 • Game 4: Thunder 100, Mavericks 96 • Game 5: Mavericks 104, Thunder 92 • Game 6: Mavericks 117, Thunder 116
Dallas wins series 4-2
(2) Denver vs. (3) Minnesota
• Game 1:Timberwolves 106, Nuggets 99 • Game 2: Timberwolves 106, Nuggets 80 • Game 3: Nuggets 117, Timberwolves 90 • Game 4: Nuggets 115, Timberwolves 107 • Game 5: Nuggets 112, Timberwolves 97 • Game 6: Timberwolves 115, Nuggets 70 • Game 7: Timberwolves 98, Nuggets 90
Minnesota wins series 4-3
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First round schedule
Below are the results for the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs.
Eastern Conference
(1) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Miami Heat
• Game 1:Celtics 114, Heat 94 • Game 2: Heat 111, Celtics 101 • Game 3: Celtics 104, Heat 84 • Game 4: Celtics 102, Heat 88 • Game 5: Celtics 118, Heat 84
(2) New York Knicks vs. (7) Philadelphia 76ers
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• Game 1:Knicks 111, 76ers 104 • Game 2: Knicks 104, 76ers 101 • Game 3: 76ers 125, Knicks 114 • Game 4: Knicks 97, 76ers 92 • Game 5: 76ers 112, Knicks 106 (OT) • Game 6: Knicks 118, 76ers 115
(3) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (6) Indiana Pacers
• Game 1: Bucks 109, Pacers 94 • Game 2:Pacers 125, Bucks 108 • Game 3: Pacers 121, Bucks 118 • Game 4: Pacers 126, Bucks 113 • Game 5: Bucks 115, Pacers 92 • Game 6: Pacers 120, Bucks 98
(4) Cleveland vs. (5) Orlando
• Game 1: Cavaliers 97, Magic 83 • Game 2: Cavaliers 96, Magic 86 • Game 3: Magic 121, Cavaliers 83 • Game 4: Magic 112, Cavaliers 89 • Game 5: Cavaliers 104, Magic 103 • Game 6: Magic 103, Cavaliers 96 • Game 7: Cavaliers 106, Magic 94
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Western Conference
(1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (8) New Orleans Pelicans
• Game 1:Thunder 94, Pelicans 92 • Game 2: Thunder 124, Pelicans 92 • Game 3: Thunder 106, Pelicans 85 • Game 4: Thunder 97, Pelicans 89
(2) Denver Nuggets vs. (7) Los Angeles Lakers
• Game 1:Nuggets 114, Lakers 103 • Game 2: Nuggets 101, Lakers 99 • Game 3: Nuggets 112, Lakers 105 • Game 4: Lakers 119, Nuggets 108 • Game 5: Nuggets 108, Lakers 106
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(3) Minnesota Timberwolves vs. (6) Phoenix Suns
• Game 1:Timberwolves 120, Suns 95 • Game 2: Timberwolves 105, Suns 93 • Game 3: Timberwolves 129, Suns 109 • Game 4: Timberwolves 112, Suns 116
(4) LA Clippers vs. (5) Dallas Mavericks
• Game 1:Clippers 109, Mavericks 97 • Game 2: Mavericks 96, Clippers 93 • Game 3: Mavericks 101, Clippers 90 • Game 4: Clippers 116, Mavericks 111 • Game 5: Mavericks 123, Clippers 93 • Game 6: Mavericks 114, Mavericks 101
Conference finals schedule
The conference finals will begin May 21-22, but can move up to May 19-20 if the prior round’s series ends early.
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NBA Finals schedule
The 2024 NBA Finals will begin June 6, airing on ABC.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Michela Cava and Taylor Heise both had a goal and an assist to lead Minnesota to a 4-1 victory over Boston on Friday night, giving their team a 2-1 lead in the inaugural championship series of the Professional Women’s Hockey League.
Minnesota will host Game 4 in the best-of-five series on Sunday. Game 5, if necessary, would be played in Boston on Wednesday.
It took just 59 seconds for Heise to slip a shot past Boston goaltender Aerin Frankel and give Minnesota the lead for good. Cava notched an assist on Heise’s fifth goal in eight postseason games. Heise had four goals and nine assists during the regular season.
Minnesota took a 2-0 lead with 2:22 left in the first period when Sydney Brodt used assists from Brittyn Fleming and Kelly Pannek to score her first goal this season.
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Boston’s goal came with two seconds left in the second period when Alina Müller found the net. Susanna Tapani and Jamie Lee Rattray had assists. It was Müller’s first goal of the postseason after scoring five times during the regular season.
Minnesota regained its two-goal lead 3:29 into the final period when Cava scored her third of the postseason — off an assist from Heise. Grace Zumwinkle scored into an empty net after Boston pulled Frankel for an extra skater with 3:50 remaining. Zumwinkle’s goal was her first this postseason.
Minnesota goalie Nicole Hensley finished with 18 saves. Frankel saved 21 shots for Boston.
Minnesota, the fourth seed, beat top-seeded Toronto 3-2 in a first-round series. Toronto had its choice of who to play between Minnesota and Boston after a first-place finish during the regular season. Boston swept No. 2 seed Montreal to advance to the finals.
Minnesota sported the best record in the league before a nearly month-long break for international play. The club lost all five of its matches after returning but still managed to grab the final playoff spot.
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Boston split a pair of home matches to begin the series, winning the opener 4-3 before losing 3-0.
___
AP Women’s Hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey
(Copyright (c) 2024 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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Syracuse will face Boston College in the women’s college lacrosse semifinal game on Friday at WakeMed Soccer Park.
The Orange advanced to this round by defeating Yale 19-9. Three different Syracuse players scored three goals, and Emma Tyrell led the charge with seven. They will now look to finally beat a Boston College team that has already beaten them twice this year and six times consecutively, dating back to the 2021 national championship game.
The Eagles are the No. 2 ranked team in the nation and have an 18-3 record on the season. They score nearly 17 goals per game and have allowed their opponents to average 8.25. Three players have recorded at least 80 points this year, and they are led by Rachel Clark, who has scored 71 goals.
Here is everything you need to know to watch and stream the action.
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Watch Syracuse vs Boston College
Syracuse vs Boston College
When: Friday, May 24th
Time: 5:30 p.m. ET
TV Channel: ESPN U
Live Stream: fuboTV (watch now for free)
College Lacrosse Odds and Betting Lines
College lacrosse odds courtesy of Tipico Sportsbook. Odds were last updated Friday at 9 a.m. ET.
Syracuse (+134) vs Boston College (-164)
O/U: 25.5
Want some action on college lacrosse? Place your legal sports bets on this game or others at Tipico Sportsbook.
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