Just the facts
- When: 9:30 PM
- Where: Rogers Place – Edmonton, AB
- How to follow: NESN, 98.5 The Sports Hub
- Opposing perspective: Oilers Nation
Know your enemy
- 20-14-6, 46PTS, 1st in the Pacific Division
- Connor McDavid: 24G-45A-69PTS; Leon Draisaitl: 20G-36A-56PTS; Evan Bouchard: 7G-30A-37PTS
- Calvin Pickard: 4-5-2, 3.69 GAA, .874 save percentage
Game notes
- The Bruins, not exactly flying high to end the calendar year, will close out 2025 against Connor McDavid and the Oilers, who have won three of their last four and seven of their last ten.
- These two teams played about two weeks ago at TD Garden, with the Oilers winning 3-1; that loss started the Bruins’ current six-game losing streak.
- Newly acquired Tristan Jarry was injured in that game and hasn’t played since, with the Oilers turning to Calvin Pickard and Connor Ingram. Ingram has been good when called upon, winning two of his last three starts (though he lost last time out in Calgary).
- While the Oilers have been better of late, they’re benefiting (somewhat) from a softer Pacific Division this season. While they sit atop the Pacific amidst a back-and-forth tussle with the Vegas Golden Knights, the West still seems like it’ll run through the Central this spring with Colorado (65PTS), Dallas (57PTS), and Minnesota (54PTS) all flying.
- The Oilers are a good team on home ice, posting a 10-3-3 record at the friendly confines of Rogers Place. I still wanted to call it Rexall Place, but I guess I’m old.
- McDavid, who is good, has 3G-8A-11PTS in his last five games. Those 11 “goal involvements,” to borrow a soccer term, are more than the ten goals the Bruins have scored as a team in their last five games.
- As we saw in the Calgary game, the Bruins have found themselves taking some bad penalties during this losing streak, particularly slashes, stick fouls, etc. With Edmonton boasting the league’s best power play, the B’s would be wise to keep their sticks to themselves and try to stay out of the box. Please.
- Little has changed for the B’s since the Calgary game: no new injuries, call-ups, etc. Status quo.
- With a 9:30(ish) PM start on the East Coast, this game should be near its end right around midnight. Let’s see if the Bruins can send you into 2026 on a high note.
See
ya tonight!
