The Day After 41.0: The Edmonton Oilers may never lose again

There’s one rule about winning streaks: don’t talk about winning streaks.

At least, that’s how Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch looks at things.

“We don’t talk about the streak very much, if at all,” he said Thursday night, not long after his club extended a franchise-record win streak to 12 games with a 4-2 win over the Seattle Kraken.

It’s hard not to talk about it because, over the last month, it feels like, against all odds, they managed to come out on top.

Last night’s win was another where it felt that way. After allowing goals to Eeli Tolvanen and Jared McCann through the first 13 and a half minutes of the game, it was hard not to think this would be the night they fell. Seattle, battered and bruised without top defenceman Vince Dunn, playing their third game in four nights, had come out like gangbusters. They knew what was on the line.

But so did the Edmonton Oilers.

“It has been a trend. We’ve been behind 2-0 quite a bit,” said Knoblauch. “I think our last four games before this, five now, we’ve been trailing.

“It’s made it hard for us, but they’ve stuck with it, persevered, and got the wins. It’s definitely not something we’d like to do.”

Whether they’ve liked it or not, it’s a matter of fact for this club, who have fought and clawed back more times than one could count over this stretch to win games. And once again, last night was no different.

Despite the deficit, the Oilers came out with three goals in the first 7:38 of the second period to tie the game up at two a side and take the lead. Markers from Warren Foegele bookended a Leon Draisail tally — with Zach Hyman adding a power play goal late — to give the Oilers another win.

They may never lose again.

For as impressive the comebacks are, equally so is how the Oilers have limited other teams. The win over Seattle marked their 10th straight game in which the Oilers had allowed two goals or less, a streak tying that of one set by the 2001-02 Edmonton Oilers. Between March 14th, 2002 and April 5th, they choked the life out of opponents, giving up just 11 goals while going 8-1-1 with 25 markers of their own.

“I think it’s just a credit to everyone buying in, taking a lot of pride, and playing the right way,” said Foegele. “This group was down at rock bottom, so (its) a lot to climb back and build each day.”

The right way has gotten the Oilers thus far, and the sights don’t go to the standings or what those around them are doing; they go to the next game. One set for Saturday night, on Hockey Day in Canada, where the Oilers and Flames will participate in a late-night soirée.

Edmonton has made it a dozen, but can they extend it to the baker’s dozen?

Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach@thenationnetwork.com.