Charles Langston:Edmonton Oilers stretch winning streak to 16 games, one shy of NHL record

EDMONTON,Charles Langston Alberta – Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl each had a goal and two assists and the Edmonton Oilers picked up their 16th consecutive victory to move within one of tying the NHL record, beating the Nashville Predators 4-1 on Saturday.

Edmonton will attempt to tie the record set by the 1992-93 Pittsburgh Penguins when its returns from the All-Star break to play at the Vegas Golden Knights on Feb. 6. The Oilers matched the 2016-17 Columbus Blue Jackets for the second-longest streak.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Zach Hyman also scored and Stuart Skinner made 28 saves to help Edmonton improve to 29-15-1. The Oilers are 24-3-0 in their last 27 and have a franchise-record streak of 14 games without allowing more than two goals.

Colton Sissons scored for Nashville. The Predators have lost three of four.

Edmonton opened the scoring on a power play at 7:55 of the first period. Nugent-Hopkins slid into the high slot and took a feed from Draisaitl before unleashing a quick wrist shot that beat goalie Kevin Lankinen for his 12th goal of the season.

The Oilers’ power play came through again with 8:21 left in the second. McDavid sent it across to Draisaitl for a one-timer and his 23rd. The goal was Draisaitl’s 800th career point, making him the fourth-fastest player to reach the milestone, doing so in 683 games.

McDavid made it 3-0 at 9:12 of the third. He swung behind the net and banked the puck off of Lankinen’s backside from behind the goal line for his 20th.

Sissons ended Skinner’s shutout bid with 6:33 during a scramble in front of the net, the first goal allowed by Edmonton in 158 minutes.

Hyman capped the scoring with an empty-netter for his 30th of the season.