By The Canadian Press

With skid in the rearview mirror, Bruins aim to build off impressive win over Oilers

Jan 1, 2026 | 4:00 AM

EDMONTON — The Boston Bruins ended the year feeling a lot better than the couple weeks that preceded their final game.

David Pastrnak had two goals and an assist as the Bruins closed out the 2025 calendar year with a much-needed 6-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday.

Hampus Lindholm and Elias Lindholm each had a goal and an assist and Casey Mittelstadt and Jonathan Aspirot also scored for the Bruins (21-18-2), who snapped a six-game losing skid that began with a 3-1 loss at home to Edmonton on Dec. 18.

“It was obviously a great win. It’s good to be back in the winning column to end the year. The penalty kill was outstanding, it was amazing, it just feels good,” Pastrnak said.

“You can’t stop playing against these guys, you have to keep playing until the last whistle, you can’t sit back, that’s when it’s going to bite you. Obviously they had their push, but we were able to extend the lead throughout the game and when we needed (goalie Jeremy Swayman) he was there and special teams were great. It was a great team win and hopefully we can build on it going forward.”

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Swayman was solid in the Boston net with 34 stops for the win

“It’s good to get out of that slump and do it the right way,” he said. “I think we can take a lot out of this game and build a lot of confidence. We know what we can do in this league and consistency is everything. I think we can take this moving forward and build some momentum.”

The Bruins had only scored six goals total in in four games prior to Wednesday.

“I was proud of the way we played today and the way we came out,” said Boston head coach Marco Sturm. “I don’t think a lot of people thought we could grab two points here tonight, but we did and in the way we did it, I think that was really good.”

Pastrnak is hopeful the new year has better things in store than the way it had gone of late for the team.

“I love the group, we have an amazing group of guys in the room,” he said. “It’s only been half of a season, but we’ve been through so much, we’re there for each other every night no matter if we’re losing or winning and that’s all you can ask, you can’t take it for granted.

“We just have to build and become even tighter and be a better group off the ice, because we’re really tight on the ice.”

Viktor Arvidsson and Fraser Minten each had a pair of assists.

It was only the second goal in his last 19 games for Elias Lindholm, despite being fourth in team scoring.

Hampus Lindholm’s two points were a bit of an offensive explosion for him. He came into the game with just one point in his previous 12 games. Meanwhile, Pastrnak finished as one of just five players with more than 100 regular season points in the 2025 calendar year, with 113. Two of the others in the game were on the Oilers in Connor McDavid (116) and Leon Draisaitl (107).

The Bruins play the fourth game of a five-game trip in Vancouver on Saturday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 1, 2026.

Shane Jones, The Canadian Press