PREVIEW: Oilers vs. Kraken

The Edmonton Oilers carry their franchise record 11-game winning streak into Thursday night's matchup at Rogers Place against the Seattle Kraken.

You can watch the game on Sportsnet One at 7:00 p.m. MT or listen live on the Oilers Radio Network, including 630 CHED.

Subscribe to Oilers+ to unlock the Pre-Game Show that will begin 30 minutes before puck drop, along with more exclusive live and behind-the-scenes content.

PREVIEW: Oilers vs. Kraken

EDMONTON, AB – If you could characterize the composure and the calmness of the Edmonton Oilers over their 11 straight victories – how would you describe it?

For Derek Ryan, who’s coming off recording his 200^th career point with the tying goal in the third period of Edmonton’s 4-2 triumph over the Toronto Maple Leafs, it doesn’t take him long to find an answer.

“I'd call it confidence,” Ryan said after Wednesday’s practice at Rogers Place. “We're a confident group.”

The Oilers have been presented with plenty of tests throughout their franchise-record win streak, but they’ve proven time and time again that if they’re able to stick to what’s helped them get here, more often than not they’ll come out ahead.

Tuesday night’s comeback effort in the third period against Toronto – and ultimately, over nearly the full 60 minutes – was another display of just how high the confidence levels are in Edmonton’s locker room right now as they prepare to host the Seattle Kraken on Thursday with the chance to stretch that team record win streak to 12 games.

When it’s working this well, there's no sense in attacking the Kraken with anything else than what's been working.

“We know there have been some games where we’ve been behind, but we’ve probably outplayed the competition,” he added. “So the message is not to deviate from how we're playing. We don't need to change anything. We don't need to start to take chances. We just continue to play the same way. And it might take 55 minutes or 57 minutes in the game to get to where we need to go. 

“So yeah, it's a swagger. It's confidence.”

Edmonton fell behind to an Auston Matthews tally just 27 seconds in and trailed 2-0 midway through the second period after Morgan Rielly doubled the Maple Leafs’ lead, but the Blue & Orange stayed patient with some strong goaltending and team defending over the next 59:33 before their depth provided some clutch goals in the final period to complete the comeback and keep the streak going.

Derek Ryan equalized early in the final frame to reach the 200-point mark in his career before Ryan McLeod notched the late go-ahead goal to make it 3-2 with 3:05 left in regulation. Along with the 37-year-old, defenceman Mattias Ekholm hit a personal milestone with his 300^th point after finishing the night with two assists.

Evan Bouchard added an empty-netter to to along with an assist to help secure the Oilers their third straight win after having trailed in the third period, and their seventh comeback win during their 11-game unbeaten run.

“It was a pretty raucous environment, for sure,” Ryan said. “It was loud with the Leafs fans and the Oil fans. But honestly, when I scored the goal, I was just thinking about tying the game, how that was huge, and obviously, I was aware that it was my 200th point, too. So that was pretty monumental for me, personally and selfishly.

• BLOG: Oilers determined to avoid complacency during win streak

“When you're in the game, you know what it's like when you're competing. You're just in the game, you're focused on that, and then later in the night after the game's over, you can reflect on it and just enjoy it a little more. 

The Oilers will face the Kraken, who've won 11 of their last 15 games after assembling a nine-game win streak of their own from Dec. 20 to Jan. 13 that's tied with the Florida Panthers this season for the longest win streak in the NHL next to Edmonton's current double-digit heater of 11 games.

Seattle has leaned on goaltender Joey Daccord in the crease with Philipp Grubauer week-to-week with a lower-body injury, and the 27-year-old has been a major part of their recent success with a 10-1-2 record, 1.60 goals-against average, .949 save percentage and two shutouts dating back to Dec. 12.

The Kraken have lost two straight after dropping back-to-back matches to the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers earlier this week as they get set to wrap up a six-game road trip against the Oilers on Thursday.

Forwards Evander Kane (lower-body) and James Hamblin (personal matter) were both not on the ice for the Oilers during Wednesday's practice, but Head Coach Kris Knoblauch said that he is hopeful both players are back in the lineup against Seattle.

"Kane blocked a shot yesterday. We hope to have him back for tomorrow," Knoblauch said. "He'll need to be reevaluated in the morning, but we're very hopeful that he'll be playing. Hamblin had a personal matter with him... I don't want to say too much, but he's fine and he's probably in the rink right now."

Sam Gagner, who hasn't played since picking up two assists in Edmonton's 6-3 win over New Jersey on Dec. 21 that started their 11-game win streak, has only just been cleared to return to action after Knoblauch confirmed that the 34-year-old has been recovering from an injury.

"Sam has been injured for quite some time," Knoblauch said. "He has been just cleared to play, so we've got a decision to make on getting him back in the lineup. Obviously, he's a very good hockey player and the team's playing really well. We've got a big decision."