GDB 33.0: Start another streak?

8 years ago

The Edmonton Oilers and Patrick Kane will be looking to ignite another streak tonight in Chicago. The Oilers had their six-game winning streak end in New York on Tuesday night, while Patrick Kane had his 26-point streak snapped the same night at home versus Colorado.

Kane was only the seventh player in NHL history since 1967/68 to tally a 26-game point streak, and while his streak was more impressive than the Oilers’, Edmonton’s streak meant more to their group.

They needed some team success more than Kane needed personal success, but all parties will want to re-start a streak tonight.

Kane joined some elite company with his 26-game scoring surge.

Wayne Gretzky had four long streaks.
In 1983/1984 he scored 61-92-153 in 51 games. (3.00 Points Per Game)
In 1985/1986 he scored 33-75-108 in 39 games. (2.77 PPG)
In 1982/1983 he tallied 24-52-76 in 30 games. (2.53 PPG)
In 1984/1985 he scored 20-43-63 in 28 games. (2.25 PPG)

It is crazy to think Gretzky accumulated a higher PPG the longer his streaks went.

Mario Lemieux had two long streaks.
In 1989/1990 he scored 39-64-103 in 46 games. (2.23 PPG)
In 1985/1986 he tallied 21-38-59 in 28 games. (2.10 PPG)

In 1992/1993 Mats Sundin scored 21-25-46 in 30 games. (1.53 PPG)
In 1988/1989 Steve Yzerman tallied 29-36-65 in 28 games. (2.32 PPG)
In 1976/1977 Guy Lafleur scored 19-42-61 in 28 games. (2.17 PPG)
In 1985/1986 Paul Coffey scored 16-39-55 in 28 games. (1.96 PPG)

Kane scored 16-24-40 in his 26-game streak (1.54PPG) and his was the longest streak in 22 seasons. It was an incredible accomplishment, and the Oilers will need to pay close attention to #88 tonight.

The Oilers’ six-game streak has them back in the playoff race, and they need to ensure they don’t rack up a lengthy losing streak and undo all their hard work in the first two weeks of December.

The Oilers and Hawks have each scored 85 goals, and Kane has been in on 54% of the Hawks goals, while Taylor Hall has chipped in on 41% of the Oilers tallies. Both are dangerous, but in vastly different fashions.

Kane is the most dangerous player in the NHL when he has the puck in the offensive zone. No one is more confident and crafty with it, while Hall uses his speed and strength to bully defenders. Both of them are having excellent seasons playing with “rookies.”

Artemi Panarin played four years in the KHL before debuting with the Hawks and he’s been fantastic scoring 9-20-29 in 32 games. Leon Draisaitl is not considered an NHL rookie because he played 37 games last year, but the 20-year-old has 9-18-27 in 22 games this year and he and Hall have become a deadly duo.

Hall has 27 EV points while Kane has 30. Tonight could come down to which of these duos outscores the other.

LINEUPS….

Oilers lineup courtesy of DailyFaceoff.com

Blackhawks lineup courtesy of DailyFaceoff.com

QUICK HITS…

Rob Klinkhammer injured his ankle late in New York on Tuesday so Jujhar Khaira draws back in. Benoit Pouliot suffered a setback so he won’t play tonight, but might draw in Monday versus Winnipeg. Oscar Klefbom was put on the IR, retroactive to last Saturday, but he won’t join the team on the road trip and is possible for Monday. The Oilers final game before Christmas is Monday, and I don’t see them rushing Klefbom back, instead giving him five more days rest and play him in Vancouver on Boxing Day.
It was the right decision to go back to Cam Talbot. Talbot was excellent in Boston, and Nilsson has struggled his last three starts. I see it as a goalie competition rather than a controversy. If Talbot plays well tonight, I’d play him in Denver on Saturday and run with him again on Monday if he gets in a groove.

Schultz has one PP goal in his last 173 games. That isn’t a typo. He has played 530:35 of PP time over the past three seasons, the most of any Oiler, and he has 1-27-28 in those games. Last year, Schultz was 21st in PP time among NHL D-men, but he was 43rd in scoring.

Many defenders don’t score a lot on the PP. Drew Doughty, Ryan Suter and Alex Pietrangelo only had one PP goal last season, while Schultz had none, but those three contribute at EV in both ends of the rink.

2013/2014:
Schultz: 254 minutes… 1-11-12
Belov:    75 minutes    0-2-2
Larsen: 68 minutes     1-4-5
Petry: 27 minutes     1-1-2

2014/2015:
Schultz: 226 minutes… 0-12-12
Nikitin: 72 minutes    2-1-3
Petry: 68 minutes        1-3-4
Hunt:   27 minutes        1-0-1
Klefbom 27 minutes      0-2-2

2015/2016:
Sekera: 70 minutes 1-3-4
Klefbom: 56 minutes      0-3-3
Schultz:   49 minutes      0-2-2
Davidson: 9 minutes      1-0-1
Nurse:      7 minutes       0-1-1

They are still looking for a PP quarterback. Schultz has a more dangerous snap shot on the rush than he does a slapshot standing still, which is why he scores more at EV on the rush. When the PP is set up he hasn’t improved his shot enough to be a threat. His point shot has not improved the past three seasons, so it is fair to wonder if it ever will. The Oilers have no right shot defenders in the system who are ready to play the PP, which is why I expect them to look for a trade in the off-season. Schultz needs to play better in the second half, and if he doesn’t Peter Chiarelli will look to trade him or maybe even not qualify him. What has he shown to make people believe he will improve next summer? At some point the onus is on the player to make the commitment to improve.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING…

From Second City Hockey

Edmonton rallied twice from one-goal deficits, but fell short as the Rangers snapped the Oilers six-game win streak with a 4-2 win on Tuesday.
Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle score both goals. In the last six games, Hall has six goals and four assists while Eberle has five goals and eight points. Hall has nine goals and 13 assists in 17 career games against the Chicago, while Eberle has scored in each of the two previous meetings this season.
The Oilers placed defenseman Oscar Klefbom (fractured finger) on injured reserve and forward Benoit Pouliot is questionable with an undisclosed injury.

Oilers goaltender Cam Talbot is expected to start. Talbot stopped 24 of 28 shots in the Nov. 8 loss to the Hawks this season.

TONIGHT…

GAME DAY PREDICTION: The top lines battle is out, but RNH/Eberle make the difference and Oilers sneak out of Chicago with 5-3 win.

OBVIOUS GAME DAY PREDICTION: Hall and Kane each pick up two points.

NOT-SO-OBVIOUS GAME DAY PREDICTION: Kane scores a highlight reel goal and he celebrates by turning his stick upside down and pretending it is a Light Saber. After the game Kane is seen hustling out of the rink dressed as a Storm Trooper, and when stopped by media he tells them he is a huge Star Wars fan and has tickets to the midnight showing.

DAY 13: MONTH OF GIVING

Thank you Diane for your bid and to High Stick Vodka and Pro Am Sports for the donation.

Today’s Packages:

Package #1

Four tickets (row 14) to Oilers/Jets game on Monday, December 21st. You will be picked up in the Nation Limo, courtesy of Eternity Limo, and taken to the Pint for pregame food and beverages and then to the game and dropped off at home after.
Four winter tires for your Car, Truck or SUV and Oil Change for a year from Auto City Edmonton.

Package #2

Dinner for four with Fernando Pisani and Gregor at Piccolino’s Italian Restaurant.
A signed Pisani game used stick from the 2006 Cup run.
Four tickets to the Oilers/Kings game on December 29th (row 14) courtesy of Auto City Edmonton.

You can bid by calling 780.444.1260 or text 101260 between 2-6 p.m. today.

Thanks in advance. All proceeds will help out the Christmas Bureau.

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