The path to success isn’t smooth or without obstacles, but there is one must-have ingredient if you hope to reach your goal.

“Success isn’t always about greatness. It’s about consistency. Consistent hard work leads to success. Greatness will come.” – Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

“It’s not all about talent. It’s about dependability, consistency, and being able to improve.” – Bill Belichick.

-Denzel Washington.

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” – Aristotle.

Consistency is the foundation to success, and so far this season it has evaded the Edmonton Oilers. Edmonton, along with Buffalo, Chicago, Nashville, Seattle and St. Louis, have yet to win three consecutive games. They’ve won back-to-back games three different times, but have yet to put together three consecutive solid performances. They’ve struggled finding consistency in their puck management, defensive decisions and emotional level.

Their 4-0 victory in Seattle on Saturday was their most complete game of the season. They played with energy and grit. Their penalty kill was a perfect 6-for-6, they were 2-for-2 on the power play and outscored Seattle 2-0 at 5×5. Stuart Skinner was solid in goal, making the key saves when needed. Every facet of their game was consistent, and tonight they will need a similar performance if they hope to slow down the surging Minnesota Wild.

The Wild are 9-0-2 in their last 11 games and went 11-1-2 in November to tie Colorado and Dallas for the most points, 24, in November. Minnesota outscored teams 43-24 in November, while posting four shutouts, and in their 11 games, they’ve only allowed three goals once. They were incredibly consistent in November, and while it is difficult to maintain that high level of consistency for 15+ games, the Wild enter tonight’s game brimming with confidence.

They are crushing it at 5×5, offensively and defensively, their penalty kill was 91.9 percent (killed 34 of 37 power plays), their goalies had a combined .944 save percentage and 1.71 goals against average. The only area they’d want a slight improvement on is the power play which was 18.6 percent (8 of 43). Matt Boldy and Kirill Kaprizov each had 10 goals in November, 15 players scored at least one goal and 19 skaters had a point.

The only concern for them heading into December is the injuries to their forwards. Marco Rossi was injured on November 11th and missed the past eight games and isn’t on this four-game road trip. Vinnie Hinostroza was hurt on November 21st and missed the past four games and will be out another 4-5 weeks. Marcus Foligno was injured on November 26th, has missed the past two games and is listed as week-to-week and Dania Yurov got injured in their last game and won’t play tonight. He’s listed as day-to-day.

Rossi was their first line centre, and then Yurov took his spot, and tonight Ryan Hartman will take their spot. Hartman is a solid NHLer, but he’s not a regular first line centre. The Oilers have to try and exploit that matchup and have Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl out against him.

What’s most important for the Oilers is to ensure they follow up Saturday’s effort with another good game. They’ve been stuck in the dance of mediocrity in October and November, and some practice time combined with a five-game homestand presents an opportunity to find the consistency they need to start climbing the standings in the Pacific Division.

“Last game was a step in the right direction,” said Leon Draisaitl. “We looked more like the group we want to be and how we want to play, but one game is one game. You have to do it over a span of time, and tonight is a good opponent and great chance to follow it up. We need to get to our game and make it feel like we are playing the game we want to play. Have the intensity we need to succeed.”

— One player who needs to bring more energy to his game is Trent Frederic. I asked Kris Knoblauch about how Frederic has lacked the energy and physicality that allowed him to be successful in Boston, and how the coach can help bring that out of him.

— Jesper Wallstedt was named the NHL’s Rookie of the Month for November. Not a surprise considering he went 6-0, posted three shutouts and had a 1.14 goals against average and .967 save percentage.

— Edmonton product Jared Spurgeon and his partner Jake Middleton have rebounded nicely after a slow start. In 12 games in October Spurgeon played 202 minutes at 5×5 and was outscored 13-2, while Middleton skated 193 minutes and was outscored 9-3. They played 88 minutes together and were outscored 7-0.

In 14 games in November Spurgeon logged 223 minutes 5×5 and outscored opponents 11-1. Middleton played 199 minutes and outscored the opposition 12-1. They logged 170 minutes together and outscored opponents 10-1. And the only goal against they were on for came in their previous game v. Buffalo on Saturday. They’d gone 13 games without being scored on prior to that.

— Edmonton is 5-2-2 at home, but they’ve allowed 21 goals in their last three home games. They got pumped 9-1 by Colorado and 8-3 to Dallas, with a 5-4 victory over Columbus sandwiched in between. They are averaging a league-worst 4.33 goals against/game on home ice. They need to tighten up defensively.

— Minnesota has had 91 PP opportunities this season while having a league-low 62 penalty kills. Edmonton has had 63 PP chances and has been shorthanded 72 times.