FINAL: Bruins 6 , Oilers 5 (OT) - McAvoy scores game winning goal, Bruins avoid disastrous loss

The Bruins certainly got away with a disastrous loss as Charlie McAvoy was the hero tonight scoring the game winner in overtime to secure the 6-5 win for Boston.

 This came after the Bruins had blown a 4-1 lead at one point. Matt Grzelcyk left the game early on the first peirod with a lower-body injury and did not return to the game. The Bruins got off to a strong start in the first period as Morgan Geekie scored his 10th goal of the season via the power play which made it 1-0.

 A turnover along the boards allowed in a Warren Foegele goal to even the game at one. Foegele scored another goal in the second period which made it 4-2.. Overall. the first period wound up being pretty even as both teams had good scoring chances. 

The Bruins scored three goals in the second period coming from Brad Marchand, Trent Frederic and Jake DeBrusk. Jeremy Swayman made some big saves in the second period but fell apart later in the game as he allowed some weak goals which should've been stopped. Boston was completely outplayed in the third period as Edmonton outshot them 18-10. The Bruins looked slow while the Oilers lived in the Boston zone with chance after chance to score. After David Pastrnak scored in the third to make it 5-4 Bruins, the Oilers answered right back on a Zach Hyman goal to tie it back up and force overtime. 

Boston scored 3:10 into overtime on a McAvoy goal to avoid a disastrous loss. The Bruins will be back in action in a back-to-back Thursday night in Calgary to face the Flames at 9 p.m. ET. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Bruins blew a 4-1 lead which was totally unacceptable. While you should be happy about the win, Boston can't close out a game for the life of them. 
• Swayman looked awful late in the game letting in goals that need to be stopped. 
• Grzelcyk left the game in the first period with a lower-body injury and did not return. 
• DeBrusk had a good game and scored in his hometown of Edmonton. 

THREE STARS OF THE GAME:

3. Jake DeBrusk (1 goal and an assist)

2. Corey Perry (1 goal)

1. Warren Foegele (2 goals)

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WHO: Bruins (33-12-11) at Oilers (33-18-1)
WHEN: 10 p.m. ET
WHERE: Rogers Place, Edmonton.
TV: TNT
RADIO: 98.5-FM The Sports Hub
LIVE BOX SCORE
ROSTERS

PROJECTED LINES
BOSTON
 Marchand –  Coyle –  Heinen
 DeBrusk –  Zacha –  Pastrnak
Van Riemsdyk –  Geekie –  Richard
 Frederic –  Boqvist –  Brazeau

 Grzelcyk –  McAvoy

 Lohrei –  Carlo
 Forbort –  Wotherspoon

 Swayman
 Ullmark

OILERS
Foegele - McDavid - Hyman
Kane - Draisaitl - McLeod
Janmark - Holloway - Perry
Gagner - Ryan - Brown

Ekholm - Bouchard
Nurse - Ceci
Kulak - Desharnais

Skinner

PREGAME NOTES
The Bruins begin a four-game western road trip in Edmonton on Wednesday night as they face the Oilers at 10 p.m. ET. Hampus Lindholm will not suit up during this road trip as he was injured during the third period of Boston's win on Monday afternoon versus Dallas. Jim Montgomery told reporters that Lindholm is considered week-to-week. With Carlo out of the lineup, the Bruins recalled Mason Lohrei from Providence. 

The Bruins have a tough test tonight versus the best team in the Pacific Division  in Vancouver who sit with 67 points and one spot ahead of Los Angeles. The Oilers got off to a slow start this season which led to the firing of head coach Jay Woodcroft. However, when Kris Knoblauch took over the Oilers won 16 straight games from December 21st-January 27th. The Oilers sit with a record of 4-3-0 since after the break, including a two-game winning streak entering tonight. “They’re dynamic, they’re fast, they’re playing great offense and great defense, good goaltending,” Jim Montgomery explained. “An elite team like everybody expected at the beginning of the year," Montgomery continued. 

Connor McDavid leads Edmonton with 83 points in 50 games this season. Zach Hyman leads the squad in goals at 33 this year. Boston's penalty kill will face a big test tonight as the Edmonton power play ranks fourth in the NHL at 26.8%. The Oilers penalty kill ranks 16th in the league at 79.4%.