The Edmonton Oilers, 2024 Stanley Cup finalists who fell one goal short of sending Game 7 against the Florida Panthers to overtime, are grinding their way through a sequel season they hope will end in glory. The 24-12-3 Oilers, eight points and a game in hand clear of the Calgary Flames and holding onto third place in the Pacific Division, bring a three-game winning streak and a 7-2-1 last 10 into TD Garden for tonight’s game against the struggling Boston Bruins.
The ticket is Connor McDavid, a player whose in-game presence far outweighs his statistical impact. Now in the prime of his career, McDavid does Bobby Orr-type stuff from the center position, the likes we haven’t seen since the great Gilbert Perreault.
Contemporaries tell me they miss the old days and all the spectacular skill that hockey had back in the 1970s, for instance. I tell them watch No. 97 in blue and orange, this guy is something else. Leon Draisaitl is also a fine player but more in the Auston Matthews mold. Deadly stick, great instincts, good enough skater to make it happen. McDavid? Purely generational.
Onto the Bruins, who at 20-17-5, 4-4-2 in their last 10 and having realized one point out of their last four games, are in danger of slipping below sea level in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
The Bruins are behind the wild-card Tampa Bay Lightning (whom they play twice over the next week) in points pct. (.568-.536), as the Bolts hold five games in hand that will eventually come due.
The only answer for the Bruins at this point is to find their best hockey of the season and, dare we suggest, become greater than the sum of their parts. Heretofore, they have been less than that supposed sum, calling widespread question into exactly what that sum is.
In net for Edmonton, Stuart Skinner, and for Boston Jeremy Swayman.
Boston-area referee Chris Rooney is officiating his 1,500th NHL regular-season game tonight.
FIRST PERIOD
Mark Kastelic knocks down Brett Kulak, but after a regroup Adam Henrique scores from the slot to give the Oilers an early 1-0 lead 6:33 into the game. Boston’s fourth line was out at the time.
Morgan Geekie shoots from the right circle, deflection, great save Skinner.
Corey Perry from the left circle, 5-hole closed by Swayman.
Nikita Zadorov turns Evan Bouchard, runs over Skinner, whose helmet/mask flies off. Zadorov protests loudly that he was fouled by Kulak on the play, but it is he who goes to the penalty box for goalie interference at 14:35.
Skinner comes out and Calvin Pickard goes in net for Edmonton. Skinner down the runway.
Jeff Skinner with a blind knockdown of the Bruins clearing pass that won’t count because the stick was above his shoulder, but helluva play.
Bruins get the kill.
Bruins survive the duration, thanks mainly to Swayman with a big save on Bouchard from the slot.
Shots after one: 13-4 Edmonton.
SECOND PERIOD
McDavid sets up Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in tight, backhand, save Swayman.
Viktor Arvidsson in front, another backhand, another save Swayman.
The Oilers are causing the Bruins palpitations with their speed. David Pastrnak just missed a simple transition pass to Pavel Zacha, apparently because the Oilers’ propensity for lightning-fast transitional play in the neutral zone got him playing with his outer brain instead of his natural instinct.
Oliver Wahlstrom reminds me of Shawn Bates.
Draisaitl interferes with McAvoy, Bruins to the powerplay at 6:23 of the second.
Bruins get zone time on the powerplay but no threatening shots.
McDavid bears down off wing, save Swayman.
Trent Frederic challenged Corey Perry halfway up the ice, finally getting consent to throw down. Frederic wins the fight, the only thing it looks like a Bruin will win tonight, and the TD Garden crowd chants, “USA, USA …” Well Freddy is from St. Louis.
The officials, a las, did not let the Bruins off easy on the fight, as Frederic earns an extra two for instigating the fight. The minor is being served by Oliver Wahlstrom.
McAvoy springs Zacha, who cannot convert, but going the other way McDavid does with a quick move on Swayman, 2-0.
Frederic wanted to give his team momentum. If Zacha scores, it works. He didn’t, and it didn’t.
Geekie has the puck as he approaches the inner edge of the left circle but chooses to move the puck to Pastrnak, whose angle is not satisfactory, so he takes it around the net where he is pushed off the puck by Kulak.
[Rink Rap: If the Bruins insist they can elevate players like Geekie into their top six, then those players have to believe they belong when the play is clearly to get the puck on net rather than defer to the superstar linemate. The seconds are too precious and the scoring opportunities too rare for an offensively challenged team like the Bruins to do anything other than play the game that’s in front of them.]
Darnell Nurse is the late man, but Swayman stops his shot with 4:41 remaining in the second period, 2-0 Edmonton.
Draisaitl open and on the board with 3:25 left in the second, 3-1 Oilers.
3-0 after two, the boos rain down from the balcony. Shots are 29-12 (unofficially).
THIRD PERIOD
Big hit by Zadorov, and Marchand rushes the puck, getting the puck back from Elias Lindholm and putting a screen shot on Stuart Skinner (only his 13th save).
Brazeau’s stick snapped, and he labors to the bench, pointing out to the athletic trainer his midsection. Perhaps the shaft of his stick jabbed his body as he went to the ice. [I don’t mean to be Debbie Downer, but Eric Lindros was almost on a plane when he had so much discomfort they held him back and learned he had ruptured his spleen. Gotta be careful with an injury like that.]
Brazeau returns to action, apparently no worse for the wear. Great news.
Vasily Podkolzin’s backcheck interrupts what looms as Boston’s best scoring chance of the night.
Wahlstrom down, and so is Parker Wotherspoon, who winds up in Stuart Skinner’s pads, and Mattias Ekholm goes to the box for interference at 6:27.
Bruins could sure use a powerplay breakthrough with 13:33 on the game clock and a 3-0 deficit.
Marchand with a great move around Kulak, pulls to the backhand, great save Skinner.
Kastelic, partial breakaway, backhand save Skinner, whose total is now up to 22, which will probably earn him a star if he holds the Bruins at bay, despite the fact he’s only had to play so far for his shutout, not the win.
Marchand off for crosschecking with 6:40 left. He and Kastelic have played passionately in the third period but without positive outcomes.
Edmonton with a chance to cement a victory, up 3-0 and on the powerplay with 6:40 to go. Fans are trickling to the TDG exits; a PPG and the floodgates open.
The Oilers misplay the puck, Johnny Beecher off the races, tries 5-hole but Skinner has the pads tightly closed.
Bruins get the kill.
Swayman to the bench and, with four minutes remaining, Perry misses the open net. But Arvidsson connects to make it 4-0. Fans pour out of the Garden. Swayman back in for the duration.
Signing off.
Drive safely.
Rink Rap with Mick Colageo 