The Boston Bruins hung on to beat the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals Monday night, 3-1, giving them a 3-2 series lead heading into Wednesday night's game in Tampa. But it could just as easily been a Bruins' loss.
With Boston up 2-1 about midway through the third period, it was visibly evident they were clinging to that one-goal lead. And it appeared that they had let the lead slip away when Tampa Bay's Eric Brewer's shot fired wide of the net, rebounding off the boards right to stick of Steve Downie, who had a wide open net in front of him with an over-aggressive Tim Thomas out near the top of his crease. But somehow, someway, Thomas recovered, and gave the NHL what might be the save of the year.
Afterward, Lightning head coach Guy Boucher put it best:
"Against this goaltender, you need more; you need more. You need miracles. (Thomas) is making miracles. We have to come up with miracles."
After the jump, the miraculous save in gif form.
Click to animate (via Mocksession).