Surging Edmonton Oilers win 16th in a row to move within one of NHL record

By James On Jan 28, 2024

Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl each had a goal and two assists and the Edmonton Oilers won their 16th straight game and came within one of tying the NHL record by beating the Nashville Predators 4-1 on Saturday.

Edmonton will try to match the 1992-93 Pittsburgh Penguins record when they return from the All-Star break to play Vegas on Feb. 6. The Oilers tied the 2016-17 Columbus Blue Jackets for the second-longest streak.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Zach Hyman also scored and Stuart Skinner made 28 saves to help Edmonton improve to 29-15-1. The Oilers are 24-3-0 in their last 27 and have a franchise record of 14 games without allowing more than two goals.

Colton Sissons scored for Nashville. The Predators who have lost three of four.

Edmonton opened the scoring on a power play at 7:55 of the first period. Nugent-Hopkins slid into the high slot and took a feed from Draisaitl before unleashing a quick wrist shot that beat goalkeeper Kevin Lankinen for his 12th goal of the season.

Yakov Trenin (13) and Colton Sissons (10) of the Nashville Predators react as Mattias Ekholm (14), Zach Hyman (18), Connor McDavid (97), Leon Draisaitl (29) and Evan Bouchard (2) of the Edmonton Oilers . celebrate Saturday after scoring a goal in the third period. Photo: Amber Bracken/AP

The Oilers’ power play came together again with 8:21 left in the second. McDavid sent it to Draisaitl for a one-timer and his 23rd. The goal was Draisaitl’s 800th career point, making him the fourth-fastest player to reach the milestone, in 683 games.

McDavid made it 3-0 at 9:12 of the third. He swung behind the net and fired the puck from behind the goal line off Lankinen’s backside for his 20th.

Sissons ended Skinner’s shutout bid with 6:33 remaining during a battle in front of the net, the first goal Edmonton allowed in 158 minutes.

Hyman capped the scoring with an empty-netter for his 30th of the season.