After securing three wins during a six-game homestand, the Edmonton Oilers picked up an important road win on Tuesday.
The Oilers will look to keep the momentum going when they visit the struggling Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday night before the 4 Nations Face-Off break.
Edmonton moved into first place in the Pacific Division after their 3-2 overtime win over the St. Louis Blues, their fourth win in the last six games. Coach Kris Knoblauch believes staying mentally tough against the Blackhawks and in Friday’s game against Colorado is crucial for keeping their top spot.
“It’s important that we put in a good effort and win as many games as possible,” Knoblauch said.
The Oilers showed resilience in St. Louis after falling behind 2-1 in the third period. Leon Draisaitl tied the game with 2:14 left, and Connor Brown scored the overtime winner 2:33 into extra time.
“It was good that we stuck with it, and we’ve seen that a lot this year,” Knoblauch said.
Connor McDavid, who had a goal and two assists in the win, has points in seven of the last eight games. Draisaitl, the NHL’s top scorer with 37 goals, has points in four straight games and 12 of his last 13.
The Blackhawks, with just 37 points, are near the bottom of the NHL. They’ve had a tough stretch, losing nine of their last 11 games (2-6-3), including a 5-1 loss to the Florida Panthers on Saturday.
The Blackhawks had a strong start in that game with Landon Slaggert scoring just seven seconds into the game, but Florida quickly tied it and took control to win.
The team is focused on developing a young core for the future, even though some recent losses have been tough to learn from.
“When (bad shifts) happen over and over, I think guys tend to just fold in,” said defenseman Connor Murphy, who returned after missing January with a groin injury. He felt his condition was “good.”
Chicago’s defensemen, including Murphy and Alec Martinez, are working on improving puck movement and breakouts as younger forwards adjust to the team’s system.
“Knowing where guys are going to be and knowing somebody’s going to be there so you can put it to a spot or an area,” Martinez said about getting the forwards comfortable.
Wednesday’s game will decide the season series between the Oilers and Blackhawks. Chicago won the first matchup 5-2 on Oct. 12, while Edmonton responded with a 4-3 victory on Jan. 11.
Teuvo Teravainen has three goals and three assists for Chicago against Edmonton this season, while Corey Perry has scored in both games for the Oilers.
