Honestly, if you fell asleep before the West Coast games wrapped up last night, you missed a bizarre mix of defensive masterclasses and absolute track meets. Thursday nights in the NHL usually bring some chaos, but January 15, 2026, felt like the league was split into two different universes. In one, goalies were literal brick walls; in the other, defense was basically a suggestion.
The big question everyone woke up asking was about the score for the hockey game last night between the Islanders and the Oilers. It was supposed to be a showcase of offensive firepower at Rogers Place. Instead, it was a reminder that Ilya Sorokin is not human.
The Shoreline Stunner: Islanders 1, Oilers 0
Edmonton fans are probably still staring at the ceiling this morning. 35 shots. That is how many times the Oilers fired the puck at the New York net. Not a single one went in. Ilya Sorokin put on a clinic, picking up his fifth shutout of the season in a 1-0 win that felt much tighter than the final score suggests.
Anthony Duclair provided the only goal of the game on a power play with just over six minutes left in regulation. It was a heartbreaker for Connor Ingram, who was actually spectacular for Edmonton, stopping 17 shots and keeping his team in a game where they dominated possession but couldn’t buy a bounce.
The most insane moment?
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Late in the third, with the net empty, Leon Draisaitl had a wide-open look for a one-timer. Sorokin made a desperation save that belongs on every highlight reel for the next decade. It’s the kind of game that makes you realize stats don’t always tell the story—Edmonton played well, but Sorokin was just a wall.
High-Scoring Chaos in Vegas and Pittsburgh
If the Edmonton game was a goalie duel, the Vegas-Toronto matchup was the exact opposite. People were looking for the score for the hockey game last night expecting a chess match, but they got a 6-5 overtime thriller instead.
Vegas walked away with the 6-5 win, but it was a rollercoaster. The Golden Knights looked like they were going to run away with it early, but the Maple Leafs—led by William Nylander and Auston Matthews—just wouldn't go away. Jack Eichel eventually iced it in overtime. It was messy, it was high-flying, and it probably gave both coaches a headache.
Meanwhile, over in the Battle of Pennsylvania, the Penguins handled the Flyers 6-3. Sidney Crosby is still doing Crosby things, tallying two points to help Pittsburgh snap a three-game skid. It wasn't particularly close by the end, but the intensity was there.
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Last Night’s NHL Scoreboard (January 15, 2026)
If you just want the raw numbers from across the league, here’s how the rest of the night shook out:
- Winnipeg 6, Minnesota 2: Mark Scheifele is on a tear right now. He put up four points as the Jets absolutely cruised past the Wild.
- Buffalo 5, Montreal 3: Tage Thompson recorded a hat trick and added two assists. That’s five points in one night. The guy is a cheat code when he’s healthy.
- Columbus 4, Vancouver 1: A bit of a shocker here, but the Blue Jackets’ defense held the Canucks to just a single goal.
- Boston 4, Seattle 2: The Bruins extended their winning streak to five. David Pastrnak sealed it with an empty-netter.
- Calgary 3, Chicago 1: Mikael Backlund led the way for the Flames, and Chicago’s struggle to find consistent scoring continues even with Bedard back in the lineup.
- San Jose 3, Washington 2: Macklin Celebrini pulled off a no-look, between-the-legs pass that had the internet melting down. The Sharks are actually fun to watch this year.
- Utah Mammoth 2, Dallas Stars 1: John Marino scored in the third period to break the tie. Utah is quietly becoming one of the toughest home environments in the league.
The College Scene: Spartans Edge Out Badgers
It wasn't just the pros playing last night. Over in the college world, we had a massive Top-5 matchup. The No. 4 Michigan State Spartans took down the No. 2 Wisconsin Badgers with a 4-3 victory at the Kohl Center.
Wisconsin tried to mount a massive third-period comeback after falling behind 4-1, but they just ran out of time. Tyson Dyck got them close, and they even hit a post in the dying seconds, but the Spartans held on. It’s a huge win for Michigan State in the Big Ten standings.
What This Means for Your Fantasy Roster
If you own Tage Thompson or Mark Scheifele, you’re probably winning your matchup this week. Thompson’s five-point night is a massive outlier, but it shows his ceiling. On the flip side, the Oilers' offensive stars are in a bit of a funk. Despite the shot volume, they aren't finishing.
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Keep an eye on the Utah Mammoth. They’ve won five of their last six, and Karel Vejmelka is playing some of the best hockey of his career. If he’s sitting on your waiver wire, grab him now.
Real-World Takeaways
Looking at the score for the hockey game last night across all these venues, a few things are clear. First, the gap between the elite and the middle-of-the-pack is shrinking. Second, goaltending is still the ultimate equalizer. You can outshoot a team 35-18 like Edmonton did and still walk away with nothing if the guy in the crease is dialed in.
To stay ahead of the curve, watch the injury reports for the Rangers and Flyers. Both teams are leaking goals at an alarming rate—30 goals allowed in five games for the Rangers—which means you should be betting on (or starting) whoever is playing against them until they fix their defensive structure.
Check the scheduled goalie starters for tomorrow’s games before setting your lineups. Teams like the Islanders are leaning heavily on their starters, and fatigue might start to show during this mid-January grind. Monitor the waiver wire for backup goalies on teams with back-to-back games this weekend, specifically looking at the Oilers and Canucks who are heading into a heavy travel stretch.