BOSTON — Hampus Lindholm hadn’t been at his best throughout the Bruins’ series with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
It was almost as if he’d been playing back, waiting for the game to come to him without any promise that it eventually would. He was too patient with the puck according to the thousands of coaches in the crowd at TD Garden, and just looked like he’d lost the playmaking ability that made him so valuable to the Bruins across the last two seasons.
Lindholm changed things up in Boston’s overtime win over Toronto in Game 7, however.
“Hampus was assertive tonight.”
Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery on Hampus Lindholm
“Hampus was assertive tonight,” Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery said postgame. “He played on his toes, and when he plays on his toes — he shut down (William Nylander’s breakaway attempt). He’s such a good defender… and he shot when it was shot-ready. He also had the poise to hold onto the puck on his goal, sidestep, then shoot it.”
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It was clear from the start, as the 30-year-old skated with as much purpose as we’ve seen since he arrived two seasons ago. He was able to shut down that Nylander attempt Montgomery was talking about but also triggered the Bruins’ offense by firing the puck onto Maple Leafs goaltender Ilya Samsonov.
It was only a matter of time before he broke through, and he did with a wrister from the circle that knotted things up in the third period.
Lindholm, much like his teammates, hadn’t found success getting the puck on net throughout the series, as Toronto blocked 23 more shots Saturday. He decided to stay patient on the game-tying goal, though.
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“I was just trying to get the puck on net,” Lindholm said. “I’ve been holding onto pucks trying to — making it too hard on myself. You just try to find that opening, get it there, then good things usually happen… I just tried to be patient, get pucks on net and get it through. It’s hard this time of year.
“It’s hockey. It’s the little things. You get a bounce, we get a goal and good things happen.”
Featured image via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
