01x01 - Best of Rivals

[bunniefuu]

[cheering]

[interviewer] And you thrive

under pressure, right?

[suspenseful music playing]

[crowd cheers]

I try to.

[Redmond]

Hockey players are the toughest.

They're warriors.

[grunting]

[announcer] Oh, my goodness.

They're going at it.

[Redmond]

The game's faster than ever.

It's younger than ever.

And they embrace

this lifestyle that they get to live.

-Dinner's on me if you want it.

-[laughing]

[Redmond] But all the best players,

they want more.

They care about one thing.

Winning.

[player]

It's our f*cking moment, boys!

This is for greatness

This is for glory ♪

[Bissonnette] Thirty-two teams

start the season, 16 make playoffs.

Best of seven, four rounds, 16 wins,

and then you get to hoist Lord Stanley.

I'll be the greatest ♪

There's always that pressure.

It's the hardest trophy in sports to win.

I always said, if I won, I was gonna get

the Stanley Cup tattoo, so

[McDavid] You'd be hard-pressed

to find a tougher league.

The league is very fortunate right now

to have kind of an embarrassment of riches

of how many good players there are.

But I know when I'm at my best,

it's a tough level to match.

[Tkachuk] Maybe outside

there's not as much pressure,

but when you get in between

the walls of our locker room,

we have more pressure on ourselves

than anybody.

That's not f*cking good enough!

It's the f*cking finals!

Dig the f*ck in!

Right f*cking now!

[Blackburn]

Hockey players are a different breed,

what they put themselves through

physically and mentally.

[Swayman] I want to treat every game

as if it was my last,

because you really don't know

what the hell could happen.

In terms of identity,

you've only ever really had one job.

If that's taken away from me,

then who am I?

[Trouba]

Success is measured in rings and Cups,

and a lot of guys don't end up at the end.

[Pastrnak] I've been in finals,

been in the wrong side.

I was heartbroken.

Just come with a hunger and wanting more.

Yeah!

[Nylander] You're going into w*r.

You want to just put it all out there.

That's what the glory is

for the Stanley Cup.

We're going straight to the top ♪

[player] Whoo-hoo! Let's go!

[Bissonnette] Being a superstar,

with the weight of the world

on the shoulders,

they need to slay the dragon.

Straight to the top

Straight to the top ♪

Straight to the top ♪

[Nylander] When I first got drafted,

I had no clue how big Toronto was.

So I didn't know the extent of how big

the Leafs Nation was

Just go for a walk

this morning with the dogs.

There's a guy driving by, yells my name

and stops, wants to come take a picture.

Everybody cares. They know the scores.

They know what happened.

Hello, how are you doing?

How's it going?

[Nylander]

It's just a part of everyday life.

If you go to a different team,

you've probably experienced

what other guys experience.

But this is our normal for us.

I can't believe I forgot the leashes.

[man] He never brings them anywhere,

I don't know what he's talking about.

[all laugh]

[Nylander] This is all we know.

This makes it extra special,

and more pressure.

[Bissonnette]

Hockey's a religion in Toronto,

and people bleed blue.

But it's this built-up emotion

because they want to win so bad.

At some point it's about to pop.

[Redmond] Toronto is the pressure cooker

that it is for two reasons.

The fans are absolute die-hards.

The fans believe they can win every year.

And we have the superstar

core four in Toronto.

Auston Matthews.

[announcer]

And Auston Matthews, the 60-goal club!

First Leaf ever.

[Redmond]

Marner.

[announcer]

Into the middle. Centers. Scores!

[announcer 2] That was vintage Marner.

[Redmond] Tavares.

[announcer] The captain

has the icebreaker tonight.

[Redmond] Nylander.

[announcer]

Nylander for the win scores!

[man] Let's go!

[announcer]

88 down at the gates!

[Redmond]

They are generational talents,

and the heart of that team

and that franchise.

Every single thing they do

is heavily reported on,

scrutinized depending on how things go.

Mix that with the fact

that the team hasn't seen

a Stanley Cup in 57 years,

and you can understand why the fan base

is overly sensitive

to what they see on the ice.

[Bissonnette]

The Leafs, the past few years,

they have an incredible regular season.

[announcer]

The Leafs have won their seventh straight.

[Bissonnette] And then they lose

in the playoffs year over year.

[announcer] Déjà blue again.

[Bissonnette]

Ultimately, all the fans care about

is an opportunity

to win the Stanley Cup.

Most people look to William Nylander

to bring them to the promised land.

[dramatic music playing]

[announcer] William Nylander!

[Bissonnette] He's always so calm,

cool and composed

in these high-intensity situations.

[announcer] Scores!

[Bissonnette] He's the total package.

[Redmond]

This year, the pressure is different

because William Nylander signed

the largest contract

in Toronto Maple Leafs history.

Congratulations are in order here.

Willy's committed to us

for eight more years.

[applause]

[Knies] Eight more!

Where are you buying me dinner?

[Redmond] With the money,

the spotlight, especially in Toronto,

comes endless pressure.

[broadcaster 1]

Eight years, $92 million contract.

[broadcaster 2]

This better be him now.

Because if it goes down a level

after this,

I'm telling you the way

this is gonna go amongst Leafs Nation.

[Redmond] The stakes are as high as ever

for William Nylander.

How do you prove to everyone

that you're worth it?

How do you prove you're the guy

who can erase the history of losing?

[player]

Let's go! Gotta f*cking execute!

Let's go!

We'll see.

[Nylander] From a young age,

my mindset was just like,

"I'm gonna do what my dad did."

Work really hard,

and I'm gonna play in the NHL.

It was right there,

so the dream didn't feel so, like, crazy.

[announcer] Nylander scores!

[Nylander] My dad,

he played on six, seven teams,

so, like, he could be traded

in the middle of the school year.

So for me, like, to just, you know,

pack up and go somewhere else,

that was kind of like normal.

How many goals have you scored this year?

You're not supposed to ask that question.

[both laugh]

[Nylander] This place is the only place

that's been home for me.

Like, I've never spent so much time

in one place in my entire life.

Which is pretty crazy.

Hello.

You guys having fun?

Saw you guys scoring some goals.

Yeah?

Hello. Hello. Hello. How you doing?

sh**ting was my favorite when I was a kid.

Yeah, if you guys are having fun,

that's the best.

That's the most important.

You're very welcome to skate with them.

Do you want me Do you want

Should I go on the ice with them or what?

[man] It's up to you, man.

[Nylander]

I actually have some in the car.

-[boys] Yeah!

-Yeah?

[boy] Are we allowed slashing?

[laughs]

What do we play to? First to three?

Okay, and how can you score?

Just score the net?

-[boys] Yeah.

-[Nylander] Okay.

Ah!

Ah!

I can't say that I've been to, like,

Real Madrid or Barcelona

or any Premier League games.

But, I mean, how invested people are

in those teams,

and how much they care,

that's how it is here.

People really care.

If I lose, I'm upset. I'm pissed.

They're the same way.

They didn't even play.

No way!

Outside factors are great

that it's there and so many people care,

but I have my own pressure,

I have my goals.

I know what I want to accomplish.

We both want the same thing.

Oh, one versus one!

What you gonna do?

Whoa!

I came in here

when I was 18 years old.

It has taught me a lot.

I mean, I've become a man in Toronto.

It's made me who I am.

To have that, you're battling

even harder than when you were before.

[Pastrnak] We need to see some fish

and see some penguins.

[Rebecca] If you're lucky,

there's gonna be seals.

[Pastrnak] Yeah.

This is my ten year here.

I've been living in the same neighborhood

since I got here, so

Freya, should we wait a little bit?

A lot of people, like,

are so used to seeing me,

and it's a great neighborhood.

Very European, actually.

So it makes it even more special

to feel more like home.

Thank you. Enjoy your stay in Boston.

I grew up in Czech Republic,

in a small city called Havířov.

I got here when I was 18.

[Rebecca] Look!

[Pastrnak] It became our home,

and I'm raising my family here.

Little stinky penguins, huh?

Are they stinky?

And, you know, I couldn't be happier.

[baby babbling]

Let's go to the seals? Okay, boss.

[Rebecca laughs]

[announcer] Cleared it, but not out.

Bobby Orr behind the net to Sanderson.

Orr! Bobby Orr!

[Blackburn]

The Bruins, in their own right,

are an extremely storied franchise.

To wear that iconic "B" on your chest

comes with a lot of history and tradition,

in a very proud

and very blue-collar hockey town.

There's nobody better to represent

this team than David Pastrnak.

He's a 60-goal superstar.

[announcer 1] Down in front,

Pastrnak between the legs!

And he scores! My goodness!

[announcer 2]

Pastrnak for the hat trick.

Goal!

[Blackburn] He's the highest-paid player

on the Bruins

Yeah!

[Blackburn] a family man off the ice.

Pasta has really emerged

as a leader on the Bruins

and a face of the franchise.

[man] Pasta, Pasta.

[Rebecca chuckles]

[Rebecca]

I did not expect that!

[Pastrnak] Fans are so passionate

about their sports here,

and there is a high standard.

You know, there's a lot of pressure.

Oh, he's so cute.

I feel very fortunate and honored

to be part of the city and community,

and, you know, help grow hockey.

And they are a big part

of why you want to win the championship.

There's no doubt.

[distant police siren]

[Nylander]

So Pasta's coming in tonight.

We've been like good friends

for like a long time,

since we were, like, young, you know?

We kind of knew that we had a special,

like, talent to get somewhere.

So we've kind of been like,

I think, inspiring each other, maybe,

in some ways to just keep getting better.

[Pastrnak] I moved to Sweden

when I was 15, turning around 16.

Oh boy, I was not prepared, you know,

obviously going to different country

with learning languages and the culture.

The hardest part was for sure learning

how to cook or survive, honestly, and eat.

My mom had three jobs,

so that was definitely

a hard transition for me.

Hello, hey. Come in and welcome.

[interviewer] So, what do you like most

in the fridge here?

Most in the fridge?

Probably

meatballs.

I don't know how it called. Called skinka.

[Nylander] Played on a team in Sweden,

called Södertälje.

Like, we couldn't talk to each other

because he couldn't speak English.

I couldn't speak Czech.

But we had this amazing

chemistry on the ice.

[interviewer] Can you describe

the chemistry between you two?

Oh, I think it's always been there.

And that's where our relationship started.

-Hello!

-Pasta, what are you doing?

-Where is the crowd?

-Wake up! The game's not till Thursday.

Oh yes.

[Pastrnak]

He was so much better than me at that age.

[announcer speaking foreign language]

[Pastrnak] So I could see it for him.

He's gonna be for sure drafted.

I've learned so much from him.

Definitely one of my happiest memories.

But one of my hardest.

I was 17 when my dad passed away.

So there was definitely, you know,

some tough times I was going through.

I spent a lot of time in the rink,

you know, with Willy.

I just tried to be there

as long as I could,

you know, before going back home

to an empty apartment.

Don't want to be mourning alone.

And so going to the rink,

practicing and just trying to get better.

I just want to play for him now.

[Nylander]

Having to live through that,

let alone being in a completely

different country away from your family

and have to deal with that, um

Yeah, incredible.

It's like that friendship

that you have with a buddy

that we don't see each other for months,

and then you see each other for dinner

and you sit down and you talk,

and it's like you have been

with each other every day.

Ah!

-You busy today?

-Yeah.

[speaking foreign language]

Hey!

Yeah f*cking right, let's go!

[announcer] Pastrnak to Geekie!

And he scores!

[Pastrnak] We're better, boys.

[Nylander] We're f*cking fine.

[Pastrnak] How is the season going,

by the way?

-Pretty good?

-Good. We gotta win. Like, it's tight.

-Yeah. The standings.

-The standings are tight, yeah.

[announcer]

And from a sharp angle, stopped.

Lobs it in front, scores!

[Nylander] Ah, for f*ck's sake.

[Pastrnak] Wow, that was pretty, boys.

[Pastrnak] Right now,

we play together in the playoffs.

-We're gonna play each other?

-You guys are third and we are second now.

-Well, who's first? Florida?

-Florida. Yeah, they just jumped us.

[Nylander] That'll be fun.

Yeah. They're always fun.

Toronto/Boston, huh?

[Nylander] Yeah, just 'cause you guys win

all the time.

For us, every time we have lost

it's been so sh*t.

f*ck me.

[Pastrnak] Another dub, baby.

-[Swayman] Job well done baby. I love you.

-[Pastrnak] You're sick. You're so sick.

[announcer]

Boston come away with a 4-1 win.

[Pastrnak]

It doesn't matter in the end, you know?

If you don't get the Cup, it doesn't

matter who moves on from the first round.

[Luftman]

The excitement is already building

as we count down

to the start of the postseason,

and the Eastern Conference field is set.

Bruins/Maple Leafs. How about this one?

It feels like we get this every year.

There's certainly some history there.

-[announcer 1] He scores!

-[crowd cheers]

[announcer 2] A seventh-game win

against Toronto again.

[Bissonnette] This is a Boston Bruins team

that has established a winning culture

for many, many, many years,

and one that I think

that Toronto is trying to get to.

Boston Bruins are the standard.

[announcer 3]

Toronto trying to exorcise some demons.

Last three times these teams

have met in the playoffs,

Boston has prevailed

in seven games each

[Bissonnette] If Toronto wants

to make a big run,

which they haven't done

in a long, long time,

they need to slay the dragon.

[Blackburn] An 82-game season

is a grind in and of itself.

But then you get to the playoffs,

and it's basically like the start

of a brand-new season.

[Bissonnette]

Thirty-two teams start the season,

16 make playoffs.

Best of seven, four rounds, 16 wins,

and then you get to hoist Lord Stanley.

[Pastrnak] You want to be at your best

starting the playoffs,

and obviously

there's a lot of things to it.

You have to be lucky.

You have to be healthy.

You know, obviously your body

needs to keep up.

-Hello. How are you?

-I'm good. Good luck.

Thank Thank you. Thank you.

[Pastrnak] I love this group.

I'm ready to go to the w*r with them.

And we can't wait

to get this playoff started.

All right, here we go.

Game 1, guys.

[Nylander] Look, come playoff time,

the game's different.

Not maybe giving 98% or 100%,

I mean, could lead to a goal.

So everything just is turned up a notch.

So you just gotta be ready to battle

and compete every night.

[Matthews]

The stakes are higher.

The energy and the atmosphere

and just everything going into it.

The intensity levels and all that stuff

can obviously bring out that passion

[yelling]

which is what you need.

[grunts]

[broadcaster]

This goes to the old-age story.

When it gets down into the gutter

and becomes a street fight,

can the Maple Leafs and Nylander,

can they answer?

Of the brave ♪

[crowd cheers]

[announcer]

Familiar foes, Boston and Toronto.

Opening face-off moments away.

It's Game 1.

They were getting going for

a big playoff run, and then Game 1.

William Nylander

will not be in the lineup.

I mean, my jaw dropped to the floor.

[announcer 1]

No William Nylander. He is out tonight.

[announcer 2] With no Nylander,

this is a much

different-looking team offensively.

[Pastrnak]

Couple hours before the game,

I see their lineup written on the board,

and he wasn't there.

Obviously it's a big advantage

for our team, you know,

because they definitely miss him.

[Redmond] You're back in another

series with the Boston Bruins,

trying to exorcise your demons.

And unexpectedly,

your most consistent playoff performer

of the last handful of years

is not in the lineup,

and we don't know why.

[announcer]

The playoffs are underway.

[Bissonnette]

They got no Nylander in the lineup.

That is a huge, huge loss.

[announcer] Two on one for Boston.

Cross ice, score! Beecher!

One-nothing, Boston!

And then, boom, the letdown.

[announcer]

Back out, shot by Carlo Scores!

Two-nothing, Boston!

Boston with a shot Scores!

[crowd cheers]

On the power play!

It's now three-nothing, Boston.

What is going on?

[announcer]

And they are going to take Game 1.

-Great game, Bulldog. Great f*cking save.

-Let's go, baby.

[Pastrnak] Let's go, that's one.

I thought, like,

he might miss one game and then play.

It surprised me.

Nobody knew what was happening.

[man] One of your premier

top-notch players,

after just playing 82 games?

What the hell were we doing here?

We don't even know

what's going on with him.

[Pastrnak]

I knew he was battling some injuries.

You know, I obviously felt

really bad for him that he couldn't play.

It's not easy

to play in Toronto, you know.

There's a lot of pressure,

a lot of media.

Couldn't be easy for him.

[man] No Nylander!

The expectations are so high for Nylander.

That's what the money is for.

Hey! Hey!

You're all here for my suffering!

And this helps keep the show going,

so you knock it off!

[man screams]

[Bissonnette] Game 2.

[announcer]

No William Nylander for the Leafs tonight.

Hashtag "Where's Willy?"

[announcer] They got to get one

here in Boston, that's for sure.

The big one is in Game 2.

[Bissonnette]

Then all of a sudden, Matthews.

[announcer] Flipping it ahead.

He's got Matthews.

In, and he scores!

Go-ahead goal.

And the Leafs have won Game 2.

[man] Why is he not in the series?

Why is he not playing?

That's being hidden behind lock and key.

[reporter] Sheldon, what, if anything,

can you tell us about Willy's status?

Nothing.

-[reporter] Is he playing?

-Nothing.

[man 1] Why does it have to be the Leafs

that have this drama?

Like, why does it have to be

William Nylander

that has this huge, mysterious

question mark about what's going on?

No one will tell.

Everyone's trying to find out.

They're so tight-lipped about it.

[Bissonnette] He hasn't missed a game

due to health since 2016.

Where the f*ck is William Nylander?

[announcer] With a split in Boston,

the Maple Leafs bring home ice advantage

back to Toronto.

Tiebreaking Game 3,

tonight at Scotiabank.

[Nylander] Game 1,

I have never been so nervous in my life.

The start, like, I couldn't sit still.

Just, like, "What's going on?

Oh sh*t! Oh, f*ck! sh*t."

And I'm, like, Game 2, this is better now.

So I guess I got used

to watching the game.

I haven't watched a game in a while.

I can't wait to play.

In the second-to-last game of the season,

I had a migraine.

A severe migraine.

Played the next night.

Still had the migraine symptoms

and everything.

Like, you can see, but like if you'd

tell me to read something,

I'd have a hard time reading it.

And we were extra cautious

in case it could have been

a concussion or whatever.

At that point in time,

it wasn't like a question of

can I play or can I not play?

It was just like, I'm not playing.

My mindset was turning into like more of a

fan, like cheering for the guys.

Like, "Let's f*cking go."

Yeah, it was tough,

but also knowing how I was feeling,

like, I wouldn't have been

of any help either.

Go, go, go, go!

We've had a lot of chances like that.

[player] Hey! Hey!

[announcer] Traffic in front, a dangerous

look from Pastrnak, and Tavares

-Come on!

-[announcer] Got Edmundson on the move.

[Nylander]

Come on, come on, come on.

[announcer]

Into the middle. Centers! Scores!

Oh, yeah! Whoo!

-[crowd cheering]

-[announcer] A great feed to Marner.

[Nylander] There we go.

[announcer] Bertuzzi down.

And away goes Frederic. Scores!

-[man] Oh, my God. Are you kidding me?

-[Nylander] f*ck me!

f*ck me, let's get one

on the power play now.

[announcer]

Max Domi's got it. Off the blocker.

Riley in front! Scores!

Yes!

[announcer] It's 2-2.

[all cheering]

The building's alive now.

Here's a chance. Marchand scores!

No way.

[announcer] Eighteen seconds later

[man]

Are you f*cking kidding me?

[player] Yeah! Let's go!

[Nylander] It sucks, like, not being able

to support the guys and be out there

and be battling with them.

[announcer]

An extra day before Game 4.

You wonder if that buoyed

William Nylander's return to the lineup.

But these tight games,

how big a difference would 88 have made?

[Nylander] It's your team.

You want to win, and then you lose.

And it's just like, okay,

then you start having negative thoughts.

All right, it's 2-1.

We have to win this next game.

Don't want to go to Boston down 3-1.

I think just stay on, for as long as

you feel comfortable staying on for.

[Nylander] I feel pretty good.

[Subban] In playoffs,

guys aren't playing hurt.

They're playing injured.

And they want to.

That's what the glory is

for the Stanley Cup.

It's all about playing through pain.

[Nylander]

I hadn't played in a little bit,

and, you know,

you always have those nerves.

You're going into w*r again.

Either you win or you lose.

You always want to win.

You want to just put it all out there.

[announcer] pokes it free,

Van Riemsdyk scores!

[Pastrnak] Yeah! Wow, what a play!

What a play, baby!

[Nylander] We f*cking want it more, boys!

[announcer]

There's Marchand in the pads.

A shot Pastrnak! He scores!

[Pastrnak] What a play, baby.

[Marchand] f*ck yeah.

-[crowd booing]

-[announcer] And the fans booing now.

The pressure builds on the Leafs,

down in the series and now down three.

[Bissonnette]

Game 4, with all this drama

surrounding the series

with Willy missing games.

[Nylander] f*cking give me

the f*cking puck.

[announcer] The backhander, and the save!

Ah, f*ck!

[Bissonnette]

You just see frustration was mounting,

as it does in high-pressure situations.

Especially when it's the core four,

when you're losing.

Tick, tick, boom.

Hey, be ready for the f*cking one-T, okay?

[Nylander] When it means more,

I shift a little bit.

Hey! I'll stay above him, yeah?

I think I become a different person

in those moments.

Hey! Hey!

Go, go.

If you're that into the game,

you just want to win

and get each other going.

Whatever you need to do.

Just f*cking sh**t it.

Stop f*cking crying, bro.

This is the f*cking issue.

You guys f*cking b*tch about sh*t.

Let's f*cking go.

That's just showing

in a high-pressure situation,

everybody wants more from themselves

and from their team.

[Pastrnak] Let's go.

[announcer] They win the game 3-1.

They lead the series three games to one.

[Nylander]

Everybody's a little frustrated.

You know, that's what happens.

You get on each other and you get into it.

Sometimes it happens, and nobody's

gonna be upset after the game.

We're best friends. We wanted to win.

[Friedman] Marner, Matthews, Nylander,

them snapping at each other on the bench.

There's only two ways to go.

One is you just completely falter

and you go down quietly.

Or two, you use it.

Now we're gonna prove

we're on the way back.

[suspenseful music playing]

[announcer]

David Pastrnak and the Boston Bruins

trying to close out

the Toronto Maple Leafs here in overtime.

Tavares dekeing in on his off wing,

to the net!

Bobbling out front scores!

Matthew Knies has won it!

And the Leafs will take it back

to Game 6 in Toronto!

[player] That's what we're talking about,

baby! That's f*cking right!

[host] Like, they knew

what everybody was saying about them,

and they found a way.

On Thursday night for Game 6

you're gonna have Boston,

which all of a sudden

has had trouble closing,

versus Toronto,

which can't win at home.

Like, something's gotta give

on Thursday night.

[Nylander] We knew we hadn't won

a game at home yet in the series.

So what do you have to lose?

We're down, backs against the wall.

I mean, if we win, we win.

We push it another game.

If we lose, we're done.

That was kind of my mindset.

Be prepared.

And, I mean, you're going into w*r.

Yeah, from coast to coast ♪

Doing that thing I love the most ♪

Had to disappear, but came ♪

That pressure makes diamonds ♪

And when I come out

I beat the finest ♪

Yeah, I'm hoping for clarity ♪

I keep on shining ♪

I keep on fighting myself

I know pressure makes diamonds ♪

[Bissonnette]

Sometimes, people want to scrutinize

the laid-back and happy approach,

like you don't have a care in the world.

But you need to carry that type

of confidence and attitude with you

in order to be able to perform

in those types of moments.

And if you're not getting it done,

you have to answer to the fan base

and the media.

Pressure makes the diamonds ♪

Pressure makes the diamonds

Let's go ♪

[dramatic music playing]

[announcer] The original six rivals

set for Game 6 in the Six,

each team wrestling

with its own ghosts and demons

that have tormented them

in recent history.

The Bruins have lost

five straight elimination games.

The Leafs trying to avoid

a fourth straight playoff exit

to Boston since 2013.

[dramatic music playing]

Scores!

-William Nylander!

-[crowd cheering]

Through traffic,

and the Leafs have the lead!

And William Nylander

electrifying the crowd here at Scotiabank.

[Nylander] I just owned you, bud!

And I was like,

"We need to get another goal

just to, like, make sure

that we are safe here."

[announcer]

The puck out for Knies.

Now Nylander, breakaway!

Nylander dekes!

Scores!

-[horn blows]

-[crowd cheering]

[Nylander]

Hit the breaker, I'm coming down.

I scored on him before with one move,

so I was thinking

maybe I'm gonna do that move.

And I have this other move

that I do sometimes.

I was thinking, "Okay, he might think

I'm doing that move."

So I just did something

completely different.

Whoo!

[announcer] The Leafs are gonna force

Game 7 in Boston, Saturday night.

[Nylander]

We're going to Boston, baby.

But then you're just on to the next game.

You're like, okay, super happy

for five minutes until the game's over,

and then, okay, now we got a Game 7.

[reporter]

Willy, you've been in some Game 7's.

What's it like to play in a Game 7?

Yeah, it's, uh It's special.

I don't know if we've won one yet,

so we're up to the test.

[reporters chuckle]

[man] How are you feeling?

[Nylander] I feel pretty good.

-[car horn honks]

-[people cheering]

[chuckles]

We still got to win one more game.

What's happened in the past

doesn't actually really matter.

It comes down to this one game, so

I can't tell you if I feel any way.

I'm obviously happy that we battled back

and made it 3-3.

But the next game is the

is the one.

I just think about it as, like,

it's playoffs.

And, I mean, I think everybody on our team

contributed to the win.

Like, it's not like one individual guy

making sure that we win the game.

So you want to step up

when there are big moments

and try to help your team

get the win for sure.

You know, that's why I love the dogs

because, you know, you come home.

You had a big game.

But it's time to take them out for a walk.

And that's all they care about.

So it's nice little reset coming home,

you know?

They don't care if you played like sh*t.

They don't care

if you played unbelievable.

They're just happy to see you.

[reporter] Do you need more

out of Pastrnak for Game 7?

Your best players need to be

your best players this time of year.

I think the effort is tremendous.

Pasta needs to step up.

[Bissonnette] I was actually shocked

that he called out Pasta individually.

[Montgomery] Thanks.

[Bissonnette] Pasta knew that he wasn't

performing up to what he's capable of.

He knew he had to bring

a big one in Game 7.

[Pastrnak] As soon as he said that,

he called me in for meeting, me and him.

We had a conversation.

"Just so you know,

in case you see it in the media,

I called you out."

I stopped him right there, I was like,

"I wasn't at my best game,

and I need to be better for you."

They got a line here.

Hi, Freya! Hi, Freya!

-[Pastrnak] Freya say, bye-bye.

-Bye, Freya.

Thank you. Bye, lady.

[chuckles] She's laughing.

-[Freya cooing]

-Yeah. Yeah.

This is my tenth season this year,

but the first season with a baby.

Game day routine has changed.

You know, I used to chill.

Or sleep way longer.

But now, like, I'd rather spend

a lot of time with Freya.

And especially at this early age, like,

scared of missing

the first steps or, you know,

the first words.

We lost our firstborn son.

Uh, his name is Viggo.

And he was only six days old.

So obviously, we have been through

some hard times in our life, and

And we are blessed

for every single day in this world

that with Freya and, you know,

her being healthy and everything.

So for sure it changed our lives.

You just sent a message and just, like,

tell him that you're there for him.

To battle through that,

I don't know how he did.

[bird wings beating]

It's player time, right, Freya?

You know, you mature real quick

when something like that

happens in your life.

Definitely opened my eyes.

Wow! Look at you!

Start recognizing

so much more than hockey.

Definitely wouldn't be

the same person I am today.

You know, not going through that stuff.

Ciao, ciao. Love you.

[giggles]

[siren wailing distantly]

[ominous music playing]

[sirens blurting]

[Redmond] This particular do-or-die,

winner-take-all Game 7

has the highest stakes imaginable

for both William Nylander

and David Pastrnak.

One side, you've got Pasta,

who's been called out by his coach

prior to this Game 7.

On the other, you have William Nylander

and the Toronto Maple Leafs,

who just can't seem to take the next step.

It doesn't matter that David Pastrnak

and William Nylander are friends.

They do not care.

They care about one thing.

Winning.

[crowd cheering]

That's the thing about Game 7.

It's all about this one game,

this one play.

Who's gonna take it?

[Nylander] Here we go, boys!

Stay in the moment.

[announcer] John Tavares will take

the opening face-off with Pavel Zacha.

[referee] John, Pavel, have a great game.

[announcer] And the 195th Game 7

in NHL playoff history is underway.

[Pastrnak] Great job! Great job, boys!

[grunts]

[player] With a sell on white.

Getting their game going now.

[whistle blows]

[player] Let's f*cking hunt.

Be ready. Hey Nylander, three high.

[announcer 1] Here's DeBrusk,

cuts one back. Knies, in front Nylander!

And Swayman with a stop.

[announcer 2] William Nylander

with Toronto's best chance.

[Montgomery] That was a real good period.

Keep putting pucks in.

We're getting to them,

and we're establishing O-Zone time.

Okay? But we got better, right?

[Pastrnak] When the puck doesn't go in

for a goal scorer like me,

you know, definitely hard.

Sometimes, you are battling your own game.

[Pastrnak] Keep it.

[announcer 1] And now Pastrnak.

And they turn it over!

[Pastrnak] f*ck!

It's Marchand.

but right into the midsection

of Ilya Samsonov.

[Pastrnak] Right in the f*cking tummy.

Keep going boys, eh?

We're f*cking good here.

Stay in the moment, stay patient,

and that was the mindset.

[Nylander] Hey, send it!

[announcer 1]

Nylander stopped down low.

Swayman rescuing Boston

time and time again.

[whistle tweets]

Scoreless through two periods.

All right, fellas!

[Keefe] We haven't beaten this goaltender

off a clean shot the entire series.

They protect inside.

You got to f*cking drive right through.

That's where the goals are, okay?

Puck's gotta get there,

people got to get there.

That's how we make

[Nylander] Game 7 is

It's hard.

You don't want to be the one

that maybe makes a mistake or something

that leads to the first goal.

Because it's make-it or break-it.

[crowd cheering]

[announcer 1] Toronto Maple Leafs

trying to end a long streak

that nobody wants to be a part of.

They've lost six straight

winner-take-all games in the playoffs.

[interviewer]

And you thrive under pressure, right?

I try to.

[player] Let loose. Let it f*cking fly

here, fellas. Let it fly!

[announcer 1]

Matthews with Bertuzzi and Nylander.

[player] Need help, get up!

[announcer 1]

Knocked down by Bertuzzi. Matthews in

And goal! They score!

The Leafs just scored!

Free Willy Nylander gets the job done!

We're one step closer!

[excited chatter]

[announcer 2] Three goals

in the last two games for Nylander.

Oh boy, the Bruins got 11 minutes

to try and find one,

as the Leafs take the lead in Game 7.

[announcer 1] Out in front!

And that one goes just over

the top of the net off Brazeau's stick.

Lindholm scores!

[Pastrnak] Yes! Yes! Yeah!

Let's go! Yeah, boy!

[announcer 1]

Somehow, Lindholm finds this narrow lane.

[Pastrnak] Yeah! Let's go!

[crowd cheering]

[announcer] 1:52 to go in regulation

in Game 7, tied at one.

[Montgomery] Turn it up! Turn it up!

[announcer 1] Pastrnak,

and he just missed the left post.

Holmberg on the forehand.

Holmberg hoping for an alley.

Stopped by McAvoy. Three seconds to go.

Out in front!

And stopped by Swayman!

[announcer 2] What a save that was,

off the skate in the slot,

as William Nylander,

knowing the clock's ticking down,

just throws it to the middle

where all the bodies are.

Swayman able to hold on.

[announcer 1] Game 7 overtime.

[announcer 2] Every player on both benches

has played this moment out in their life.

[Pastrnak] We need to help down low, eh?

[Pastrnak] Come on in, boys.

[player] Let's make it the best f*cking

minutes of the game, guys.

Let's go, let's go.

[Nylander] There's no better time

to play hockey than Game 7 OT.

[player] Holy f*ck,

this is why we play the game, boys.

-Mhm-hmm.

-Yeah.

[player] For f*cking moments like this.

We're all f*cking born for a moment

like this.

[Nylander] I think everybody,

since they started playing hockey,

knew what the Stanley Cup was.

That's what everybody wants.

[player] f*ck, we're good here, eh?

[Pastrnak] f*cking silence on the bench,

boys. f*cking bring that energy!

Stop with the negativity boys.

Support each other.

We're in this f*cking together.

We're all bitching at each other.

[Pastrnak] I think every

professional athlete knows that,

you know, doing what you love,

it comes with a lot of pressure, you know?

One thing I learned

after having kids is that

if I'm positive and happy

and feeling good,

you know, I can be even better.

[interviewer]

It's going so well for you now.

How can you keep it up?

Just stay Stay Stay on the floor.

If I can say it like that,

you know, don't Don't go high.

-Don't fly to the sky.

-Yeah, exactly.

[Nylander]

Stay on the ground and keep going.

I came in here

when I was 18 years old.

A lot of years now

where we've lost Game 7.

And then you go to say, "Next year

We'll be better next year.

Next year."

f*ck that.

[dramatic music playing]

[Keefe]

Now we hang f*cking tough.

This is where we finish the f*cking job.

-Let's go make it happen. Come on.

-[applause]

[indistinct shouting]

[all chatter]

[announcer 1] The Maple Leafs and Bruins

tied at one in Game 7.

The winner advances to the second round,

and the loser will have

an excruciating end to its season.

[Pastrnak] Hey, same thing, eh?

I hit the net, it's a goal.

Let's go get it, baby.

[announcer 2]

Well, nerves will play so much of this.

If you can get through your first shift,

then you settle into the game.

[player] Here we go.

[grunts]

[Montgomery]

Get down! Keep it low! Keep it low!

They're tired, keep playing behind!

[announcer 1]

Time-out here in Boston.

[coach] Hey, next shift's

your biggest shift.

[referee] Gentlemen, here we go!

[player] Pasta!

[Pastrnak] I can't go.

[Montgomery] Nineteen, go left wing.

[Pastrnak] My bad, I took the tape off.

f*ck!

[announcer] Beecher going after Liljegren

and take it away.

John Beecher, high slot.

Rebound, free!

[Pastrnak] Oh!

Yeah, yeah, I'm ready.

Yeah, Beech! Beech!

[announcer 1]

Here's Pastrnak.

[Montgomery] Pasta's on right wing!

[announcer 1]

Lindholm sends it down.

Now a race for the puck.

[suspenseful music playing]

[crowd cheers]

[Pastrnak] Yes! Let's go!

[announcer 1] He scores!

David Pastrnak wins it for Boston!

[Pastrnak] Baby! Let's go, baby!

Love you, baby!

[announcer 1]

And the Bruins go on to Florida,

with a Game 7 overtime win.

["You Should've Seen the Other Guy"

by Nathaniel Rateliff playing]

We get out of this fight ♪

You gonna help me wrap my hands ♪

Stitching up my eyes ♪

You know that blood can blind ♪

And them was big old boys ♪

What a series.

Great series, my man.

Great battle, my friend.

And they was out to cut my throat ♪

It's a lot

It's a mark ♪

They're gonna press down on you ♪

I love you, man.

It's a haze on my head ♪

Must've been hit too hard ♪

[Montgomery]

Willy, you're a hell of a player.

Good luck.

I think I'm gonna be it tonight ♪

If there's one way out ♪

It's to swing my way ♪

Through the crowd ♪

It happened so fast.

You don't even have time to react.

He was coming with an insane amount

of speed, and we were all flat-footed.

Yeah, it's, uh

Yeah.

[reporter]

Game 7 overtime here.

I see you looking around the crowd.

What's going through your mind right now?

Uh, just trying to soak it in.

You know, it was a heck of a moment.

[crowd cheering]

Is there a blanket of pain ♪

That I can wrap up in? ♪

[all cheering]

You've got a hold of me now ♪

[excited shouting]

Hey, that's a helluva grip ♪

[cheers and applause]

And you could say I was pissing gin ♪

[man]

f*cking love you guys!

We all know I was f*cking fighting

this whole f*cking series.

But it does not f*cking matter.

Hey, it's about the next play.

And f*cking,

you just keep going and grinding.

[all cheer]

[Pastrnak] Yeah!

I'm busted ♪

Laid up and dry ♪

Hey ♪

Hey ♪

Hey ♪

[producer]

Have you talked to Willy at all?

No, just the handshake, you know.

You don't really

It's never fun to be on the other side,

and, you know,

let him be for a little bit.

But, you know,

they put a great fight to us, so

Alright, see you guys in Florida.

[intense music playing]