EDMONTON, Alberta — The Edmonton Oilers staged a thrilling comeback on Thursday night, overcoming a sluggish start to secure a 3-2 win against the Boston Bruins. Connor McDavid scored an equalizer with just 2:21 left in regulation, and Mattias Ekholm clinched the victory with an overtime goal.

Just over a minute into the extra session, Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman initially stopped a shot from Leon Draisaitl. However, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins quickly seized the rebound and passed it back to Ekholm, who netted his fourth goal of the season. Draisaitl registered three assists during the match, marking the significant milestone of 900 career points.

Zach Hyman contributed to the Oilers’ efforts with both a goal and an assist as they improved their record to 19-11-2, having now won nine out of their last eleven games. The Bruins, now sitting at 17-13-4, initially took control of the game, with Elias Lindholm and Mark Kastelic finding the back of the net in the first period to build a 2-0 lead.

Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner made an impressive 24 saves throughout the match, while Swayman turned aside 23 shots for Boston. In an interesting development, new forward Oliver Wahlstrom made his Bruins debut, replacing Cole Koepke on the third line. Wahlstrom joined the team after being claimed off waivers from the New York Islanders earlier in the week and had previously recorded four points in 27 games this season.

For the Oilers, Hyman has been in remarkable form since returning from injury, netting eight goals over the past seven games. He sported a full face shield after sustaining a broken nose from a slap shot aimed at him during a game against Florida on Monday.

One of the pivotal moments in the game came when McDavid scored his 15th goal by swiftly maneuvering towards the Boston net and executing a deke before finishing off with a backhand, thus tying the game late in the third period. Draisaitl’s second assist marked his seventh consecutive multi-point game.

A notable trend was Boston’s previous success against the Oilers in Edmonton, having won their last four meetings in the city, with two victories in overtime and all four decided by a single goal. The Oilers had not emerged victorious against the Bruins at home in over six years.

Looking ahead, the Bruins will host the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday, while the Oilers will face off against the San Jose Sharks at home on the same day.