🔥 A Night of Redemption in Edmonton
On the evening of Tuesday, January 16, 2024, the Edmonton Oilers continued their extraordinary hot streak, rallying from an early two-goal deficit to defeat the Toronto Maple Leafs 4–2 at Rogers Place. This victory not only extended their win streak to 11, a new franchise record, but also streaked towards a modern-era NHL high—just five games shy of the NHL record 16‑game winning streak held by the 1992–93 Penguins .
This game was no easy task. The Maple Leafs were playing sharp hockey—Toronto struck pretty much immediately, with captain Auston Matthews lighting the lamp just 27 seconds into the contest. Mitch Marner made a slick pass across the zone to Matthews, who promptly beat Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner high on the glove side for his 34th goal of the season—firmly establishing Toronto’s early dominance .
Toronto doubled the lead midway through the second period, as defenseman Morgan Rielly wristed in a second marker at 10:52 on a loose puck from a Matthews setup. Heading into the second intermission, Edmonton was cast into the unfamiliar position of trailing in the midst of its historic run .
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🛡️ Skinner: The Calm in the Storm
If there was one hero keeping Edmonton within striking distance during the early periods, it was Stuart Skinner. He turned in a remarkable 25-save performance, shutting down Maple Leafs elite forwards and stealing chances that threatened to turn this one into a blowout .
Over the course of this historic streak, Skinner has been the backbone—posting a 15–2 record in his last 17 starts by that point. Importantly, this marked a second straight game in which Edmonton trailed after the second period—poignantly highlighting their capacity to stay alive under pressure .
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🎯 Third-Period Heroics: The Comeback
It was in the final frame that Edmonton’s resilience truly shone:
1. Derek Ryan started the comeback 2:27 into the third period, delivering the tying goal after feeding off a chance created by Ryan McLeod .
2. With 3:05 remaining, Ryan McLeod (who’d already been credited with a secondary assist) grabbed the go-ahead marker—snagging a loose puck behind the Leafs’ net and firing a spinning wrist shot into the upper corner past a screened Martin Jones .
3. Finally, defenseman Evan Bouchard sealed the deal with an empty-netter, putting the finish on a masterpiece comeback .
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📈 McLeod & Bouchard: Surprise Stars
While Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl typically dominate the headlines, Ryan McLeod and Evan Bouchard emerged as pivotal contributors:
McLeod finished with one goal and one assist, powering the comeback and providing an energy spark just when Edmonton needed it .
Bouchard notched a goal and an assist of his own, including that crucial empty-netter—solidifying his place as one of Edmonton’s more underrated two-way defenders .
Meanwhile, Draisaitl also chipped in with a goal, extending the balanced scoring contributing heavily to their streak .
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⚔️ From the Leafs’ Perspective: A Recurring Nightmare
For Toronto, the result was both deflating and emblematic of a troubling pattern: this was the fourth consecutive loss, and yet another instance where they failed to protect a multi-goal lead .
Coach Sheldon Keefe remarked ruefully:
> “Once again, you don’t find a way to win a game when you’ve got a lead and that burns here … When you’re not scoring like we aren’t scoring here in this little stretch, you’ve got to find ways to win 2‑1. And that’s tough to do …” .
Goaltender Martin Jones made 28 saves, maintaining a respectable performance, but even his efforts weren’t enough to blunt Edmonton’s late surge .
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🏆 Streak Significance: What’s at Stake?
This victory marked more than a franchise milestone—it was the capstone of a run that vaulted Edmonton into elite company league-wide:
Franchise record: No other Oilers team had ever won 11 straight games .
Modern-era proximity: It took them to within five wins of the all-time NHL record (16), with wins like this bringing them closer to hockey immortality .
Momentum in the standings: They stood at an astounding 19‑3‑0 in their last 22 games—a dominant stretch that places them among the top teams in the league .
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🧠 Mental Toughness & Coaching Acumen
What stands out about this triumph isn’t just the goals or saves—it’s the character shown. Edmonton’s ability to stay composed under duress speaks to mental fortitude:
Skinner’s poise between the pipes was vital, turning away chances on the penalty kill and top Toronto players .
The coaching staff’s adjustments, both tactically and mentally, kept the team locked into the process—even when staring at a two-goal hole late in the second period .
Spreading the scoring beyond their top stars kept them unpredictable—Ryan and McLeod stepping up, alongside Bouchard, removed any overreliance on McDavid and Draisaitl .
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📣 What the Players Said
Skinner, reflecting on the energy in the building, said:
> “It did feel like a playoff game. It was so loud in there … I’m glad we were able to beat Toronto and beat the Toronto fans out there.”
Draisaitl praised the team’s resilience:
> “I thought it was a competitive, good hockey game … we showed some composure again and stuck with it.”
McLeod, in modest recognition of his game-winning performance, revealed his mindset:
> “I kind of drifted outside the dot and at the last second looked at the net … I saw a lane, so I took it.”
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🔭 Implications & What Comes Next
This win further cements the Oilers as genuine contenders:
Their franchise-record streak not only rallies fan enthusiasm but signals clear playoff potential.
The team’s depth—on defense (Bouchard, Ekholm) and bottom-six scoring (Ryan, McLeod)—is showing signs of maturing.
With Skinner in net and McDavid/Draisaitl up front, Edmonton has the core of a Stanley Cup-caliber roster.
For Toronto, this game is another stumbling block in a season full of frustrations:
Repeatedly surrendering leads signals deeper issues in game management and in-game adaptability.
Jones has been solid, but Edmonton’s game showed that elite goaltending alone isn’t enough—Toronto needs more offensive consistency from center depth and top lines.
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🧩 In Retrospect
The streak: 11 wins marks the longest in team history, and the run later stretched to 16—tying the NHL record .
This particular game: It showcased Edmonton’s grit—coming back from down 2–0, in front of a raucous crowd, against a veteran Toronto squad that held firm.
Legacy: As part of their 2023–24 rollercoaster, this win headlined a season that went from rocky to record-breaking, culminating in a Stanley Cup Final appearance .
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📝 Final Takeaway
“Life is good” for the Oilers—indeed, it reached peak levels on that January evening. They battled from behind, leaned on their resilient goalie, and saw secondary players step up in clutch moments. All while etching their names into franchise lore with this landmark 11th straight victory.
In contrast, the Maple Leafs’ collapse reinforced frustrations—elite-level skill undone by an inability to close out games now emerging as a troubling theme.
As the season pushed on, Edmonton rode this wave of momentum, taste-testing NHL excellence in real time. And though “Life is good” is far from permanent, on that night it was undeniably very, very good.
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Let me know if you’d like line-by-line stats, video highlights, advanced analytics—or a breakdown of what happened afterward in the streak!