Oilers beat Predators for 16th straight win, one shy of NHL record

Field Level Media|published: Sat 27th January, 19:02 2024

Jan 27, 2024; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (93) and Nashville Predators forward Filip Forsberg (9) battle for position during the second period at Rogers Place. credits: Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports

Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl each scored a goal and added two assists as the Edmonton Oilers defeated the Nashville Predators 4-1 for their 16th consecutive win to move within one of the all-time record.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Zach Hyman had the other Oilers goals, while Stuart Skinner, making his first career start against Nashville, made 29 saves for his franchise-record 12th straight victory.

Colton Sissons responded for Nashville, and Kevin Lankinen stopped 17 shots. Nashville has dropped two of three games against the Oilers this season and three of four overall.

The Oilers are 24-3-0 over their last 27 games and 14-0-0 against the Western Conference since Kris Knoblauch took over as head coach in November.

Pittsburgh holds the record with a 17-game streak in 1992-93 while Columbus also had a 16-game win streak in 2016-17.

McDavid made it 3-0 at 9:12 of the final frame, picking up his own rebound and banking a shot off Lankinen for his 20th of the season.

Sissons got the Predators on the board at 13:25 of the third, batting a bouncing puck past Skinner for his 13th of the season. The goal snapped the Oilers shutout streak of 158 minutes.

Hyman added an empty-netter with 3:19 remaining for his team-leading 30th goal.

The Oilers took a 2-0 lead when Draisaitl one-timed a McDavid pass past Lankinen for his 23rd of the season on a power play at 11:39 of the second period. The goal was Draisaitl's 23rd in 14 games against the Predators and his 800th career point.

The Oilers outshot the Predators 9-7 and led 1-0 after 20 minutes.

Nugent-Hopkins opened the scoring on a power play, snapping a Draisaitl feed stick-side past Lankinen at 7:55 of the first. With his 12th goal of the season, Nugent-Hopkins extended his point streak to five games.

McDavid picked up the secondary assist on the goal, extending his home point streak to 18 straight games.

Corey Perry, who signed a one-year deal with Edmonton on Monday, made his Oilers debut on Saturday, playing 15 shifts and 12:44 time on the ice.

—Field Level Media

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