Watch: David Pastrnak's OT winner helps Bruins survive Leafs

Pastrnak's overtime heroics helped the Bruins avoid a repeat of last year's fate, which saw the team blow a 3-1 series lead against the Florida Panthers. 

Boston looked to have things under control early in the first-round series, outscoring the Leafs 14-6 over the first four games to jump out to another 3-1 lead. However, Toronto made it a series with two consecutive 2-1 wins, including one in overtime, in Games 5 and 6. 

After two scoreless periods on Saturday, it looked like the Bruins were headed for a similar exit when William Nylander broke the 0-0 tie with the game's first goal at the 9:01 mark of the third period. But Hampus Lindholm tied things up nearly a minute later, lighting the lamp at 10:22 to force the extra session. 

While Pastrnak's goal 1:54 into OT will make the headlines, Boston netminder Jeremy Swayman was the real hero against the Leafs. The 25-year-old not only turned away 30-of-31 Toronto shots, but may have saved the Bruins' season with an incredible late-game save near the end of regulation. 

Meanwhile, it's another early and bitter exit for Toronto. After finishing the season 46-26-10, there was hope that this was the year the Leafs would finally make a playoff run. While their comeback attempt against the Bruins was valiant, they once again came up short, losing in the first round for the sixth time in the last eight seasons. Likewise, it's the third first-round exit in four seasons under head coach Sheldon Keefe, who is undoubtedly on the hot seat after another year of failed expectations. 

As for the Bruins, they're moving on to the second round, looking for a measure of revenge over the Panthers. The series begins in Florida on Monday, with puck-drop for Game 1 scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.