Jake DeBrusk is making the most out of his first Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Wednesday night, the forward scored a pair of goals that included the series-clinching goal in the back-and-forth 7-4 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs.
DeBrusk’s marker, which came at 5:25 of the third period, made him the 15th rookie in NHL history to score a series-clinching goal in a Game 7.
It’s a moment the 21-year-old won’t soon forget.
"I don't get out there 4-on-4 that much, so I just wanted to take it to the net and I kind of caught I think their defenseman off guard right away with just my speed," DeBrusk said to reporters postgame. "And then I tried to make a move and actually tried to raise it, and I didn't even see it go in, I just heard the crowd go pretty nuts. It was a very special feeling, especially making it 5-4 at that point."
The Bruins battled back from three deficits to seal a trip to Round 2 for a best-of-seven against the top-seeded Tampa Bay Lightning. With the victory, Boston became the first team in NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs history to win a Game 7 in regulation after rallying back from being down at least one goal three times.
DeBrusk has been a steady contributor, closing out the first-round series with a share of the team lead in goals (5) – along with teammate David Pastrnak – while recording seven points.