Oilers can earn another 8-game win streak vs. Blackhawks
Streakiness continues to define the Edmonton Oilers this season, only lately, it's for the good.
Edmonton, which fired coach Jay Woodcroft in November and slumped through skids of four, four and three games before Thanksgiving, is rolling now.
The Oilers have won seven in a row entering Tuesday's visit to the Chicago Blackhawks to vault back into the Western Conference playoff race. A victory will match the club's longest winning streak this season (eight games, Nov. 24-Dec. 12).
"You're happy with it, but with the position we're in we're not satisfied," center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins said. "We know there's more for our group. Whether it's defense or playing a full 60 (minutes), we know that we can continue to get better."
Edmonton has prevailed by multiple goals five times during the current tear. The latest came Saturday, as Zach Hyman's third hat trick of the season and a 29-save effort from Stuart Skinner boosted the Oilers to a 3-1 home victory against Ottawa.
Hyman has scored a team-best 25 goals and is 11 short of matching his career high. His surge has helped the Oilers to a 15-3-0 mark over their past 18 games.
"I'm kind of doing the same thing (as last season), but obviously they're going in a little bit more this year," Hyman said. "If you continue to get the chances they're going to go in and as I've said numerous times, there are some pretty good players here who can make plays every single game and I'm very fortunate to be playing with them."
Edmonton topped visiting Chicago 4-1 on Dec. 12, as the Oilers responded with four unanswered goals after Blackhawks star rookie Connor Bedard scored 3:21 into the game.
Chicago has lost nine of 12 since then and is also without Bedard (fractured jaw), who was placed on injured reserve Saturday as the team remains banged up.
Still, Sunday's 4-3 home win against Calgary offered a bright spot for the beleaguered Blackhawks, who were coming off an 0-4-1 road trip in which Bedard, Nick Foligno (fractured left finger), Taylor Raddysh (groin), Tyler Johnson (right foot) and Anthony Beauvillier (left wrist) each left games with injuries.
"No one's going to be able to step out and play like Connor Bedard," Chicago defenseman Connor Murphy said. "Everyone has to play to their strengths and how they can, and realize that if everyone plays to their best ability and their own way, you're still going to have a chance to win."
Colin Blackwell sparked Chicago with two goals and an assist, while Jarred Tinordi added two assists.
Claimed off waivers from Arizona on Saturday, Zach Sanford assisted on Blackwell's game-winner at 14:37 of the third period in his Blackhawks debut.
"(If) you ask anyone around the league, they've never really seen anything like what's been going on with the Hawks here," Sanford said. "But for me, it's exciting. It's a ... great opportunity, so I'm just trying to make the most of it."
The Blackhawks are trying for their first three-game home winning streak of the season.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Shohei Ohtani becomes the first major league player with 50 homers, 50 stolen bases in a season
Shohei Ohtani became the first major league player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a season, with the Los Angeles Dodgers star going deep twice to reach the half-century mark and swiping two bags to get to 51 against the Miami Marlins on Thursday.
The RCMP has lost 205 firearms since 2020, including 3 submachine-guns
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police has lost 205 firearms since 2020, including more than 120 handguns and at least five fully automatic weapons like machine-guns.
PM Trudeau names Anita Anand transport minister after Pablo Rodriguez quits cabinet
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tapped Treasury Board President Anita Anand to take on additional duties as Canada's minister of transport on Thursday.
Tensions flare between Poilievre and Singh in the House after NDP says it will back Trudeau Liberals
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh got into a heated exchange in the House of Commons on Thursday, just minutes after Singh announced his party would not be supporting the Conservatives’ first non-confidence motion against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government.
Canadian women among those who allege Harrods boss sexually abused them
CTV News has learned there are multiple Canadian women alleging they were victims of sexual abuse at the hands of the late Harrods boss Mohamed Al Fayed.
Missing six-year-old boy disappeared after school breakfast program: Manitoba RCMP
Shamattawa RCMP are searching for a missing six-year-old boy who hasn’t been seen since Wednesday morning.
University of Ottawa antisemitism advisor resigns over post celebrating pager explosions in Lebanon
The University of Ottawa's special advisor on antisemitism says he has resigned following posts he made on social media celebrating the pager explosions in Lebanon this week.
Francois Legault wants the Trudeau government to fall
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is calling on the Bloc Quebecois to topple the Trudeau government next Wednesday and trigger a federal election.
Influencer couple denies leaving kids alone on cruise
For most people, dinner on a cruise ship is a time to relax. But when influencer couple Abby and Matt Howard decided to kick back with a dinner à deux, they ended up kicking up a storm.