GENE'S BLOG: Lucky Number 13

When I think 13 and players who wore that number in sports, there are lots of greats who come to mind. In basketball, look no further than Canadian legend Steve Nash, or back in the day Wilt Chamberlain. In the NFL, there was Dan Marino and Kurt Warner. In baseball, you've got Alex Rodriguez and Roberto Clemente. In hockey, Teemu Selanne was one and Mats Sundin was another notable.

Viewed as an unlucky number by some people, the number didn't scare away those athletes and it wasn't enough to stop Mattias Janmark from currently donning 13 on his Oilers jersey. Previous to him, with an oil drop on the front and 13 on the back, were these former Oilers: Ken Linseman, Risto Jalo, German Titov, Todd Harvey, Andrew Cogliano, Cam Barker, Mike Brown, Steve Pinizzotto, David Desharnais, Mike Cammalleri, Jason Garrison and Jesse Puljujarvi.

Now, it's not an unlucky number in all cultures. Italians, like myself, consider it lucky especially with the belief that 13 people can defeat the devil. The same could be said for Asians, who believe 13 adds prosperity and good fortune. I think the Oilers would agree wholeheartedly with that sentiment after the team won a 13th straight game on Saturday night in dramatic fashion.

They not only knocked off provincial rivals Calgary 3-1, but they also knocked off every other Canadian team's longest winning streak by posting the most consecutive victories by an NHL squad north of the border in league history. Nobody – and that includes Original Six squads like Toronto or Montreal (who held the previous record of 12 straight wins) – had ever made it past a dozen.

It's hard to find the words to describe the notion of winning 13 in a row, let alone actually being able to do it. This all started after a December 19 defeat on Long Island. It wasn't a good night for the Oilers. It was the start of their annual trip through the New York/New Jersey area. Three games in four nights that began with disappointment in a 3-1 defeat.

Leon Draisaitl scored first, but three Islanders scored after him. Edmonton hopped on a bus and headed west to Manhattan. They set up in the Big Apple and since then have given every team they've played a Devil of time, starting with New Jersey. From there, it was the Rangers, San Jose, Los Angeles and Anaheim to finish off 2023. The new year started with Philadelphia, followed by Ottawa, Chicago, Detroit, Montreal, Toronto, Seattle and, most recently, Calgary.

It's been nothing short of amazing what has happened to this team. We all know the way things started, but we also all know the way things are going now. The fans never stopped talking about the Oilers. In fact, everyone was and is still talking about them. First they wondered what was happening and now they are still asking the same question, only the answer is different and so is their game.

They have ascended into a playoff spot, and not just a wildcard position but third place in the Pacific Division. Through all this, while Oil Country has been downright giddy (and I don't blame them), the players have been focused and dedicated.

As Edmonton starts another work week and adds a new forward in veteran Corey Perry, they will be faced with Columbus on Tuesday for a chance at 14 straight wins. Another victory would mean Chicago and a shot at 15 on Thursday. Success that night would put the Oilers playing their last game before the all-star break with a chance to go for 16 straight on Saturday vs. Nashville.

A three-game sweep this week would leave them a single victory from tying the NHL record for consecutive wins of 17 by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1992-93. Amazing, isn't it? It's been a lot of fun and Edmonton doesn't want it to stop any time soon. They'll get a chance to prove whether lucky number 13 is where the streak ends, or where the winning total continues to climb.