Boston Bruins coach Jim Montgomery described goaltender Jeremy Swayman as a difference maker.

Savior would have been a more accurate description.

Swayman made 30 saves led the Bruins to a 2-1 overtime victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 7 of their Stanley Cup playoffs opening round series on Saturday night at the TD Garden. David Pastrnak’s goal at 1:54 secured Swayman’s fourth win in six starts. The Bruins advanced to the confernce semifinals and will face the Florida Panthers on Monday night at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Fla.

“I am so happy for him and I expected it from him and he expected it from himself,” said Swayman. “There was no doubt in this locker room that he was going to prevail. We all go through adversity and we are so proud of the way he handles it and bring everyone up around him. You see guys like that get rewarded.”

Swayman suffered consecutive 2-1 losses in the previous two games, having been outdueled at the other end by Maple Leafs back-up Joesph Woll, who was an 11th hour scratch and replaced by Ilya Samsonov.

Going into the game, Swayman and Woll were the most effective goaltenders in the opening round. Woll leads all playoff goalies with 0.86 goals against average followed by Swayman at 1.60. Woll topped the leaderboard with a .964 save percentage followed by Swayman at .947. In four starts, Samsonov registered a 3.31 goals against average and a .883 save percentage.

Swayman gave up the first goal at the end of an extended stay in the Bruins zone. Auston Matthews won a puck battled at the half way, and fed Williams Nylander who one timed a wrist shot inside the near post stick side for his third of the series at 9:01. The Bruins tied the game 1-1 when defenseman Hampus Lindholm scored at 10:22.

Swayman forced the overtime when he made a stop just before time ran out. Nylander chipped the puck into the low slot that was redirected off the skate of defenseman Parker Wotherspoon, Swayman stayed with the play and made 28th save of the match.

“I was just trying to battle and do my job and enjoy the fruits of Game 7 overtime,” said Swayman. “I am so grateful to get this opportunity with this group and this team, it is a dream come true and I’m really happy.

The Bruins outshot the Maple Leafs 11-8 in the first period, a significant departure from the opening frame in Game 6 where Toronto enjoyed a lopsided 12-to-1 ratio in that category. While Swayman wasn’t overwhelmed like the previous game, he did make a pair of goal saving glove stops on Toronto rushes into the Bruins zone.

Swayman pulled the puck out of the air on a blistering slap shot from the left point that cleared traffic and was on a b-line to the far post.

Swayman made a nice glove stop on an odd man rush by the Maple Leafs at 15:56. Benoit won a race to the puck with Jake DeBrusk, who loss his blades and collided with the half wall. Benoit fed Nylander, who had both Toronto goals in Game 6. Nylander ripped a wrister that Swayman gloved.

Swayman caught grief from all angles during a Maple Leafs’ second-period power play, an advantage awarded them following a dubious cross check along the boards by Charlie Coyle on Max Domi.

Swayman made a huge stop on an uncontested wrist shot by Calle Jarnkrok from the high slot. Jarnkrok made a run at Swayman in pursuit of his own rebound and was immediately engulfed three black jerseys. The Maple Leafs took a 15-13 lead in shots on goal during the power play.

“My mindset was one shot at a time and doing my job and enjoying the process,” said Swayman. “I think that allows me to get really involved in the game and have a good time doing it.”

Swayman made another big stop during a Bruins’ power play when Toronto left wing Connor Dewar forced a neutral zone turnover and skated in alone at 11:27.

Swayman was bowled over for a second time when Bruins’ defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk sent Toronto right wing Matthew Klines crashing through the Boston crease. Swayman bent over and checked on Klines to make sure he was okay. Swayman exited the scoreless second period with 22 saves.