Nathan Horton lifts Bruins past Canadiens in game 7

BOSTON (AP) — it took Nathan Horton (FSY) six years playoffs. By Charles Krupa, AP

Boston's Chris Kelly put the Bruins ahead 3-2 in the third period, but Montreal tied to force overtime.

By Charles Krupa, AP

Boston's Chris Kelly put the Bruins ahead 3-2 in the third period, but Montreal tied to force overtime.

Once he got there, he showed the value of patience.Horton scored his second goal of the postseason overtime Wednesday night, waiting until 5: 43 of overtime period in game 7 to give Boston a 4-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens and send the Bruins to the semifinals of the Eastern Conference. "Just getting to the playoffs is everything that I was really thinking. This has been a dream come true, "said Horton, who never reached the postseason to spend the first six years of his career with the Florida Panthers. "I'm really enjoying it. I'm liking more every day. "Boston will open the Conference to gather in Philadelphia in the semifinals Saturday with a chance to avenge last year's epic against the flyers. Bruins lead series 3-0 before Philadelphia came back to force a tiebreaker. in game 7 in Boston, the Bruins led 3-0 before losing 4-3. "Get at least until midnight before I have to start thinking about that, "said Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas (FSY), who stopped 34 shots.Horton scored on his only shot of the night off a pass from Milan Lucic (FSY), setting off a celebration in the Bruins and in the stands. It was the third overtime win in Boston in the series, including game 5 on Saturday night, when Horton scored 9: 03 of the second extra time ".He has been saving for seven years, right? " Bruins coach Claude Julien said with a smile. "Then he had a lot of game-winning goals in it."A year after reaching the end of the Conference, the Canadiens were eliminated by the Bruins for the second time in three years. "We are disappointed with the final result, but you have to give credit to the Bruins, Canadiens coach Jacques Martin said. "Yes, we had some injuries. We lost some soldiers, but those who were dresses gave a very good effort. "Carey price (FSY) made 30 saves and Yannick Weber, Tomas Plekanec (FSY) and P.K. Subban (FSY) scored for the Canadiens. Montreal erased deficits of 2-0 and 3-2 but never led in the game.Montreal won the last of their Stanley Cup NHL Championships record of 23 in 1993 — the longest title drought in franchise history-decorated most of hockey. "It is hard to win a trophy," said Subban.I mean, you never know when is your year. But this year won't be our ".Johnny Boychuk (FSY) and Mark Recchi (FSY) marked the first 5: 33 to give the Bruins a 2-0 lead. But Weber made it 2-1 with a power play goal in the first and Plekanec it tied in second with an unattended goal, short-handed after Chris Kelly (FSY) scored with just under 10 minutes to give Boston a 3-2, Subban it tied in two minutes late — again on the power play.The Bruins were 0-for-21 on the power of the game in the series.But no matter.The Canadiens won the first two games in Boston to steal the home-ice advantage and put the Bruins into a hole that had never been able to recover from before. Boston went 0-26 in series after falling behind 2-0 But the Bruins came back to win three straight — including the first two in Montreal and then game 5 at home. The Habs won Game 6 on Tuesday night to force a seventh game in Boston The Bruins squandered another advantage home Wednesday, skipping out on a slap shot by Boychuk and a wrister by Recchi from the slot that beat the price of hand stick.Martin had her wait time, and the Canadiens seemed to regroup.After Michael Ryder (FSY) was expelled by interception, Weber scored a power play goal, converting a cross-ice pass from the first half Michael Cammalleri (FSY).Five minutes into the second, with the Canadiens down a man, Plekanec stole the puck from Recchi and broke the wrist he passed alone Thomas and tie it 2-2. But Kelley slid a rebound under price with 9: 44 left in the third put Boston back to the top.Montreal tied it after Patrice Bergeron (FSY) was expelled by whacking James Wisniewski (FSY) in the face with 2: 37 left. The Canadiens set up the power game in Boston and worked the puck around Subban, who slapped it over the glove of Thomas.Notes: Lucic was back in the game, a day after he was given a major for boarding and a lack of game in game 6. ... Canadiens Center Jeff Halpern (FSY) went to the ice after taking a shoulder Andrew reference (FSY) in the corner with 1: 30 left in the third. He was an instructor and was helped off the ice, seemingly woozy. ... TV showed Thomas and price play each other with their sticks as they left the ice at the end of the second period.