GAME RECAP: Bruins 6, Oilers 2

EDMONTON, AB – See you next year, Oil Country.

Forwards Zach Hyman and Jack Roslovic each found the scoresheet, but the Edmonton Oilers closed out 2025 with a 6-2 defeat to the Boston Bruins at Rogers Place on New Year's Eve, concluding the year in top spot in the Pacific Division with a 20-15-6 record.

Connor McDavid is extending his league-best point streak to an impressive 14 games (13G, 21A) in December with a terrific assist on Zach Hyman's 12th goal of the season late in the first period, making it 2-1 and matching Mario Lemieux for the most points in a single calendar month over the last 30 years.

But the Bruins were determined to enter 2026 on a high note, receiving 34 saves from Jeremy Swayman and a three-point performance from David Pastrnak on New Year's Eve. Former Oilers winger Viktor Arvidsson contributed two assists in Boston's victory that put an end to their six-game losing streak (0-4-2).

Jack Roslovic scored in back-to-back games after notching his 12th goal of the campaign, while netminder Connor Ingram allowed six goals on 29 shots.

The Oilers will be back in action in 2026, back at Rogers Place on Saturday afternoon when they host the Philadelphia Flyers at 1:30 pm MST.

FIRST PERIOD

2026 was still a few hours away, but what a way to cap off the final first period of 2025 if you're Connor McDavid.

Witnessing some 'McDavid Magic' on New Year's Eve has almost become synonymous with the holiday, and this year was no different after the Oilers captain was able to cap off the opening 20 minutes with a fantastic solo move and assist to set up his linemate Zach Hyman and cut into Boston's lead.

The opening power play for the Oilers less than four minutes into the period became a five-on-three man advantage for the Bruins almost two minutes later, which saw David Pastrnak bank it in from below the goal line on Connor Ingram in the seconds after Hyman came out of the box from serving the first minor.

Goaltender Jeremy Swayman was proving to be hard to beat early for McDavid and the Oilers, with No. 97 being stopped on a breakaway by the glove of the Bruins' netminder on his first major chance on the six-minute mark.

On their next power play, McDavid had another golden opportunity off the rush with speed when the puck went through the legs of defenceman Jonathan Aspirot and led to an in-close attempt that he tried to slide five-hole, but was once again stopped by Swayman before his follow-up sat loose in the crease.

"He gets a lot of those," Roslovic said. "Sometimes he doesn't score. He's human, but the plays he makes, I think we had 40-some shots, so the goalie played pretty well tonight."

The Bruins made it 2-0 on a clean look for Casey Mittelstadt from the left circle with 1:47 left before the intermission, but there was still time for McDavid to orchestrate another one of his magic moments on New Year's Eve to cap off the opening frame & extend his incredible run of production in December.

As if it was happening in slow motion, McDavid took a pass from Hyman in the offensive zone and dangled cut back into the slot, walking around two Bruins' skaters to open up room in front of the crease before drawing the attention of Charlie McAvoy, who was man-marking Hyman to the left of Swayman.

McDavid avoided the desperate stick check from McAvoy and threw a backhand over to Hyman, who easily tapped home his 12th goal of the season to extend his point streak to six games (4G, 5A) after being snubbed of the chance to join his linemate on Team Canada's Olympic roster in February.

With his assist, McDavid pushed his point streak to 14 games, totalling 13 goals and 21 assists, while surpassing Steven Stamkos for the most points by an active player in a single calendar month and matching Mario Lemieux for the most points in a single month over the past three decades.

Draisaitl also picked up the secondary helper for his 37th assist and 57th point this season, and is now just six assists away from 600 for his career.

SECOND PERIOD

Unfortunately, the Oilers weren't able to leverage that late momentum in the second frame.

Searching for their ninth straight game with a power-play goal, the Oilers couldn't capitalize early in the period with Fraser Minten in the box for high-sticking Evan Bouchard, falling to 0-for-3 on New Year's Eve before finishing goalless after coming into the night clicking at a league-best 34.9 percent (38-for-109).

"I don't think we had any looks, really," Draisaitl said. "It just wasn't good enough. Not sharp enough the last two games. We've got to work on it a little bit."

The Bruins had one PPG already and notched another goal in the first period that came right after a man advantage expired, before that exact scenario repeated itself with 7:05 gone in the middle frame. Hampus Lindholm fired a shot from distance on the power play that found its way through traffic right as Bouchard was exiting the box for a slash on former teammate Viktor Arvidsson, who picked up his second assist as Boston doubled their lead again to 3-1.

"Our first period was pretty strong, and it just got away from us," Roslovic said. "I think a couple too many turnovers at the blueline. We're a skilled team. We can make plays. Maybe we weren't seeing them tonight, but there are times to keep it simple, too."

That lead for the Bruins became three at 4-1 before the intermission after Aspirot dove into the crease as the third man arriving to finish off a Boston odd-man rush to put away the loose puck in the final two minutes of the stanza.

THIRD PERIOD

Jack struck back for the Oilers, but the Bruins were too much on this occasion after 2026 ended in defeat for the Blue & Orange.

Elias Lindholm made it 5-1 for the Bruins less than five minutes into the final period after a broken play that started with a turnover in the neutral zone led to Morgan Geekie carrying it over the blueline, losing his footing and still being able to set up Lindholm from his knees for a one-timer that snuck past Ingram.

Just 3:02 later, Jack Roslovic had time and space coming over the Boston blueline to rip a wrist shot clean past Swayman at the near post to make it 5-2.

The tally was the 28-year-old's 12th goal of the season, giving him goals in back-to-back games since moving to centre on the third line while tying Hyman for the third-most on the team.

"It looks like we need him playing in the top six," Knoblauch said. "I think just having him up there and being a little more dangerous, giving Leon a little more support, I think that's important. As much as we want to get a third line and get something rolling there, having your best player supported with good players is something that we have to look at.

"In the third period, Roslovic had some really good looks with Leon, and moving forward, that's probably something we need to do."

Before order collapsed in the final few minutes with a handful of fighting majors and 10-minute misconducts, Pastrnak made it six for the Bruins with a one-timer along the ice from Fraser Minten that slid five-hole on Ingram to round out the scoring, breaking the Bruins' six-game losing streak in the process.