Edmonton Oilers HC Kris Knoblauch reflects on team’s 16-game winning streak - " We take it one game at a time"

By Abhilasha Aditi

Modified Jan 28, 2024 06:03 GMT

The Edmonton Oilers extended their impressive winning streak to 16 games, just one shy of tying the NHL record, with a convincing 4-1 victory against the Nashville Predators at Rogers Place on Saturday.

The Oilers now share the second-longest winning streak in league history with the 2016–17 Columbus Blue Jackets. The team has the opportunity to match the all-time record set by the 1992–93 Pittsburgh Penguins when they face the Vegas Golden Knights on February 6, following the NHL All-Star break.

Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch firmly speaks about the most-game winning streak record chase inside the locker room.

According to NHL.com, Knoblauch said,

" They know about the streak only because you talk about it, they bring it up in the media, but we don't talk about in the room, Maybe it's on their minds a little bit, but as boring as it sounds, we take it one game at a time and we're worrying about our opposition in the next game. Feels good to win any game, doesn't matter how many in a row."

Star players Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins contributed significantly to the win. McDavid, the Edmonton Oilers captain, noted the importance of improving their power play, and he was pleased with the team's 2-for-3 performance with the man advantage in this game.

McDavid said,

"It’s nice to score a few on the power play, It’s been an area that’s probably been our weakest through this stretch. We know that our power play can change games. It can be a huge asset for us, as we’ve showed over the past few years. If we can get that going over a high level and keep our game where it’s at, it only adds to the group."

Edmonton Oilers dominate Predators with Power Play Performance

The Edmonton Oilers' power play proved crucial in the match, with Nugent-Hopkins, Draisaitl, and McDavid all finding the back of the net during man-advantage situations. Zach Hyman, the team's leading goal scorer, also added to the tally with his 30th goal of the season.

Despite the Predators playing a strong 5-on-5 game, careless penalties proved costly for them. Nashville coach Andrew Brunette acknowledged that penalties and the Oilers' potent power play, led by the "best player in the world," McDavid, played a pivotal role in the outcome.

The game marked the debut of veteran forward Corey Perry with the Edmonton Oilers, who signed a one-year, $775,000 contract. Perry, returning to the ice after a hiatus since November, impressed Jed with his hard-nosed style of play.