Brad Park saved his final two goals with the Boston Bruins for a night when neither could have mattered more. On April 24, 1983, the veteran defenceman scored the tying goal and overtime winner at Boston Garden, giving the Bruins a 3–2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres in Game 7 of the Adams Division Final. In his last season with Boston, Park delivered a performance that kept the Bruins’ Stanley Cup hopes alive.
Highlights
Boston defeated Buffalo 3–2 in Game 7 on April 24, 1983.
Ric Seiling scored twice to give the Sabres a 2–0 lead.
Barry Pederson started Boston’s comeback in the second period.
Brad Park tied the game at 9:21 of the second.
Park scored the series-winning goal at 1:52 of overtime.
He recorded eight points in the seven-game series.
These were his final two Bruins goals and final NHL playoff goals.
Buffalo had threatened to spoil the occasion. Ric Seiling scored twice to give the Sabres a 2–0 lead before Barry Pederson brought Boston within one at 6:32 of the second period. Park completed the comeback at 9:21, scoring with assists from Rick Middleton and Mike O’Connell. The Bruins had erased their deficit, but there was still a series to win.
Neither team scored in the third period, sending the deciding game into overtime. Just 1:52 into the extra session, Park beat Buffalo goaltender Bob SauvĂ©, with Pederson earning the assist. His second goal of the night broke both the 2–2 tie on the scoreboard and the 3–3 tie in the series, sending Boston into the Wales Conference Final.
At 34, Park remained a productive playoff performer. He finished the seven-game Buffalo series with three goals and five assists for eight points. The overtime winner was his third and final goal of the 1983 postseason. And, as it turned out, the last playoff goal of his NHL career.
The Gerry Cheevers coached Bruins next faced the New York Islanders, who ended Boston’s run in six games. Park contributed three assists, but the Islanders outscored the Bruins 30–21 before sweeping the Edmonton Oilers to capture their fourth consecutive Stanley Cup championship.
Park joined the Detroit Red Wings for the 1983–84 season and spent his final two NHL campaigns there. Detroit reached the playoffs both years but exited in the opening round each time. His Boston chapter had closed without a Stanley Cup, but his final two Bruins goals left a lasting memory: one to save Game 7, and another to win it.
Boston Bruins: Greatest Moments and Players
A celebration of the iconic history of the Boston Bruins — from legendary players to unforgettable moments.
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