Oilers Have Won 11 Consecutive Games, Longest In NHL This Season
The Edmonton Oilers right now are doing something even Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier and Jari Kurri and Paul Coffey and Grant Fuhr never did with the championship Oilers of the 1980s: Win 11 games in a row - and counting.
Thursday night the Oilers will try to make it 12 against the visiting Seattle Kraken, in the finale of Seattle's six game road trip.
Edmonton's offensive firepower includes a quartet operating at more than a point-per-game pace. They're led by centers Connor McDavid (58 points) and Leon Draisaitl (46), as well as winger Zach Hyman (42) and defenseman Evan Bouchard (42).
Hard to believe this team started the season 2-9-1. Since Kris Knoblauch was named coach November 12, the Oil have won 21 of 27 games. Edmonton has taken both matchups with the Kraken this season, 4-1 on Nov. 11 in Seattle and a 4-3 overtime win at Rogers Place Nov. 15.
Kraken goalie Joey Daccord has lifted Seattle back into the playoff race.The Kraken are unlikely to prevail in a run-and-gun affair; their offense ranks 27th (2.8 goals per game), the Oilers 5th (3.5 GPG). Seattle will have to rely on a defense-first philosophy which earned them their own recent 13-game points streak (11-0-2).
That starts with the man back between the pipes tonight for Seattle, Joey Daccord. He's lost just once in regulation in his last 13 appearances, with a sparkling 1.60 goals-against average and .949 save percentage.
Kraken coach Dave Hakstol correctly points out that Edmonton's defense has "flown under the radar." During their 11 game win streak, the Oilers have given up only 19 goals.
Coach Hakstol and center Yanni Gourde have more thoughts about tonight's game in this Kraken Reaction video.
