7 defining moments from Bruins' 7 most recent Game 7s

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Over the past seven years, the Bruins have participated in seven Game 7s, posting a 4-3 overall record in these series-deciding games. With the Bruins slated to take on the Maple Leafs in yet another Game 7 on Wednesday night, let’s take a look back at some of the defining moments from these previous Game 7s.

2014 second round: 3-1 loss to Montreal

Any time these rivals get together in the playoffs -- something they've done more than any two teams in NHL history -- you can expect a high-intensity, hard-fought battle. After forcing a Game 7 with a 4-0 win in Game 6, the Canadiens carried their momentum into TD Garden and beat the top-seeded Bruins in their own barn, 3-1. The defining moment came just 2:18 into the game when Dale Weise, who had been an effective pest all series, gave the Canadiens a 1-0 lead and took the energy right out of the Garden.

2013 first round: 5-4 OT win over Toronto

Down 4-1 almost halfway through the third period, the Bruins looked dead. But then with 10:42 remaining, Nathan Horton got open and powered a shot past James Reimer. The Bruins then added two dramatic goals in the final 1:22 of regulation to send the game to overtime. Just over six minutes into overtime, Patrice Bergeron pounced on a loose puck in the slot and scored one of the most memorable goals in recent Bruins history. The B's moved on and proceeded to make a run to the Stanley Cup Final.

 

2012 first round: 2-1 OT loss to Washington

The Bruins were looking to defend their Stanley Cup, but found themselves struggling with the seventh-seeded Capitals in the first round. The series was a hard-fought battle with a bunch of low-scoring games and was ultimately won in the trenches. So it’s only fitting that Capitals fourth-line winger Joel Ward would score the series-winning goal 2:57 into overtime, swatting a rebound past Bruins netminder Tim Thomas.

2011 first round: 4-3 OT win over Montreal

Poised to make a run at the Cup in 2011, it was only fitting the Bruins had to battle past their Original Six rival in the first round. They would need a full seven games to do so, plus an additional overtime period. At 5:43 in overtime, Nathan Horton emerged as the Bruins hero, scoring the game-winning goal. After falling down 2-0 in the series, the Bruins showed the character necessary to survive and advance.

2011 Eastern Conference finals: 1-0 win over Tampa Bay

Nathan Horton once again rose to the occasion in a Game 7, scoring the game's lone goal 12:37 into the third period. Both teams had plenty of chances in this exciting back-and-forth game, but great goaltending from Tim Thomas and Dwayne Roloson kept the game deadlocked at 0-0 deep into the third period before Horton finally broke through on a perfectly-executed rush up the ice.

2011 Stanley Cup Final: 4-0 win over Vancouver

In their third Game 7 of the 2011 postseason, the Bruins finally broke through in Vancouver after the home team had won each of the first six games of the series. The Bruins built up a 2-0 lead by the middle of the second period, and if the game wasn't already decided by then, Patrice Bergeron broke the Canucks' back with a shorthanded goal on a great hustle play going hard to Roberto Luongo's net. At the other end, Tim Thomas posted a 37-save shutout to cap off his Conn Smythe campaign.

2010 second round: 4-3 loss to Flyers

When it comes to collapses, it's tough to top this one. Not only did the Bruins once lead this series 3-0, but they also took a 3-0 lead in the first period in Game 7 itself. The lead didn't last too long, though, as the Flyers poured it on and managed to tie the game by the middle of the second period. Then the defining moment came with nine minutes left in the game, when the Bruins were penalized for too many men on the ice. The Flyers took advantage of the opportunity as Simon Gagne scored what proved to be the game-winning goal, lifting the Flyers to an improbable series victory.