What to watch as Oilers look to tie NHL win streak record vs. Knights

The NHL returns from All-Star Weekend with the Edmonton Oilers looking to make history Tuesday night. Edmonton can tie the NHL record for most wins in a row with a victory over the Vegas Golden Knights in Las Vegas. The game will be exclusively on ESPN+ and Hulu at 10 p.m. ET.

The Colorado Avalanche will also be on ESPN+/Hulu on Tuesday, hosting the New Jersey Devils at 8 p.m. ET.

The Knights are currently second in the Pacific Division (64 points), with the Oilers (59 points) in third just five points behind despite having played five fewer games. Edmonton hasn’t lost a game since Dec. 19 and has improved its record from 13-15-1 to 29-15-1 over that span.

Can the Oilers extend their streak and put themselves in the NHL record books? Here are some key things to watch with intel courtesy of ESPN Stats & Information:

Edmonton
Oilers vs.

Vegas
Golden Knights

Tuesday, 10 p.m. ET | ESPN+/Hulu
T-Mobile Arena (Las Vegas)

Oilers

play

Connor McDavid on Oilers’ 16-game win streak: It came out of desperation

Connor McDavid joined “The Point” to discuss the Oilers’ winning streak and their push to make the playoffs.

Power Rankings position: 7
Leading scorer: Connor McDavid: 20 G | 47 A
Record: 29-15-1 (59 points)

Oilers-Knights on ESPN+, Hulu

Watch the Oilers trying to win their 17th straight game when they face the Knights on Feb. 6, exclusively on ESPN+ and Hulu (10 ET).
• How to watch
• Subscribe to ESPN+
• Stream the NHL on ESPN

• Early coaching change: The Oilers began the season by losing 8-1 in their opener against the Canucks in Vancouver. They would go on to start 3-9-1 before firing coach Jay Woodcroft on Nov. 12. Kris Knoblauch was named Woodcroft’s replacement and has guided Edmonton to an NHL-best 26-6-0 record since his first game on Nov. 13.

• The Oilers have averaged more than a goal more per game under Knoblauch (3.91 vs. 2.69) and are giving up more than 1.6 goals less (2.28 vs. 3.92).

• Elite goaltending and defense: Since the 16-game win streak began Dec. 21, Edmonton’s goaltender duo of Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard has allowed a combined 1.50 goals per games. Skinner has a 1.41 GAA and a .950 save percentage in 12 games and Pickard has 1.74 GAA and a .931 save percentage in his four wins. Skinner’s 12 consecutive wins are the most by a goaltender in a season in franchise history, surpassing the previous record of 10 straight by Grant Fuhr in 1985-86.

• The line of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman has been thriving since Knoblauch’s hire, scoring 26 goals during their time together on the ice during that span. That’s the most of any forward grouping in the NHL during Knoblauch’s tenure.

• McDavid has been especially stellar since Knoblauch took over, posting 57 points over that span, including 26 during the current win streak. McDavid recorded his 20th goal Saturday to give him his eighth consecutive 20-goal season, joining Leon Draisaitl, David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand, and Auston Matthews as the only players who have had eight straight since 2016-17.

• Hyman leads the Oilers with 30 goals this season. On Saturday, he became the third Oilers skater in the past 30 seasons with 30-plus goals in the team’s first 45 games of a season, joining teammates McDavid and Draisaitl. Hyman is on pace for 55 goals this season, which would shatter his career high of 36 last season. If he gets to 50, Hyman would become the seventh player in Oilers history to hit the mark, joining Wayne Gretzky (8 times), Jari Kurri (4), Draisaitl (3), Glenn Anderson (2), Mark Messier (1) and McDavid (1).

• According to NHL Edge, Evan Bouchard has 71 shot attempts of at least 90 mph this season, 24 more than the next-closest player (Victor Hedman). Of Bouchard’s 11 goals, eight have come from long-range shots, the most in the NHL. His 10.4% shooting percentage on long-range shots is second among defensemen (Drew Doughty, 12.7%) and eighth among all skaters. He has already matched his career high with 43 points this season, averaging 0.96 points per game. The last Oilers defenseman to average a point per game for a season was Paul Coffey (1.14 in 1986-87).

• The Oilers’ recent run has them as the betting favorites to win the Stanley Cup, according to odds by ESPN BET. The Oilers are +750, followed by the Bruins and Avalanche at +800. According to Stathletes, the Oilers have a 14.1% chance to win the Stanley Cup, ahead of the Panthers at 13.7%. No Canadian franchise has won the Stanley Cup since the Canadiens in 1993.

Knights

Power Rankings position: 9
Leading scorer: Mark Stone: 15 G | 34 A
Record: 29-15-6 (64 points)

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