Charlie McAvoy breaks through at perfect time with Bruins facing elimination (2024)

Bruins

“We're going home. This series is wide open. Let's go home and win a hockey game.”

By Conor Ryan

May 15, 2024

SUNRISE, Fla. — The last time Charlie McAvoy lit the lamp in the playoffs, Tuukka Rask was still innet for Boston, and old faces like Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, Sean KuralyandCraig Smith were skating up front.

It was May 29, 2021 — the opening game between the Bruins and Islanders in a second-round series.

It took McAvoy nearly three years to find the back of the net during playoff hockey once again. But it couldn’t have come at a more perfect time for the Bruins on Tuesday night.

With the Bruins on the brink of elimination at the hands of the Panthers, it was McAvoy who helped lead the way with a breakthrough game at Amerant Bank Arena — scoring the game-winning goal and adding a helper in Boston’s 2-1 win in Game 5.

“It’s nice to be rewarded for everything he does,” Charlie Coyle said of McAvoy. “Charlie does it all. Even when he’s not scoring, I know he wants to score and contribute, which he’s more than capable of. We’ve seen it, but when he’s not, he just leads and leads and whatever the situation calls for in a game, it’s like he comes and makes that big play.

“And tonight it was the goal at that moment, but even besides that, it’s everything else he does within the game to make a big difference.”

When he’s on his game, McAvoy has the skills that are capable of shifting the momentum of a game in a variety of ways. Not only does McAvoy log heavy reps and snuff out scoring chances,he’spunctuated several playoff games with bone-crunching hits.

His poise with the puck and skating ability allows him to activate off the blue line and operateinGrade-A ice, where he can orchestrate Grade-A looks with crisp seam passes.

But McAvoy’s sharp wrist shot has not made much of an impact over the last few years — at least not during playoff action.

Beyond his 29-game goalless drought entering Tuesday night, McAvoy didn’t even land a single shot on goal against Sergei Bobrovsky through the first four games of this second-round series.

With his team’s season presumably on its last legs, McAvoy made a concerted effort toward putting morepucksonnetTuesday. The results were impressive, with the 26-year-old defenseman leading Boston with six shots on goal in Game 5 — including the one he fired into twine from the slot during the second period.

“I’ve been trying certainly, taking shots and [I] just haven’tseemthem be able to get to the net,” McAvoy said. “You never lose confidence. It’s the playoffs. It’s up-and-down, it’s emotional. Every day is a new day, and that’s all we’re given.

“And so I’ve been trying to just keep the same mindset, and I’m grateful for these opportunities and the guys that I get to go to war with, and I want to be my best and do the best that I can. Tonight was good to just see them get onnetand create some opportunities for our team.”

That shot-first approach on Tuesday paid dividends with his go-ahead tally afterhoppingover the boards and joining the rush with Coyle and Trent Frederic.

“Chucky came off like an animal,” Coyle said of McAvoy’s aggressive approach while joining the play.

But McAvoy also set up Morgan Geekie’s opening tally — keeping a puck in at the blue line and feeding the biscuit down low to Jake DeBrusk. DeBrusk, holding onto the puck behind Florida’s net, sent it in front to Geekie, who tucked the offering past Bobrovsky to put Boston on the board.

“Will” has been a popular talking point preached by Jim Montgomery and the Bruins throughout this playoff run, especially as a barometer used to determine Boston’s effectiveness against a physical and stingy Panthers team.

On Tuesday, McAvoy — along with another stellar showing from Jeremy Swayman in net — helpedwillBoston to a Game 6 on Friday night.

“When a guy has that, you just see the will in him — in his eyes, and his face,” Coyle said. “And when a guy has that? One, you don’t want to go against the guy like that. It’s tough. He’s just got the determination.

“You don’t get it every time, but more times than not when you play that way and you have in your mind that mindset? You’re unstoppable. And Charlie brings that.”

McAvoy might have said it best after keeping Boston’s season alive for at least a few more days.

“We’re going home. This series is wide open,” McAvoy said. “Let’s go home and win a hockey game.”