Reflecting on his achievement, Skinner shared, "It means a lot." The gravity of the moment was not lost on him, especially when he stepped onto the ice as the first star of the game. "I was feeling a lot of emotions, especially when I went out on the ice for the first star. It is pretty cool to be able to break a record from one of the best goalies to ever live," he added. Skinner acknowledged the influence of past greats on his career, remarking, "He is obviously a guy I look up to and have talked to. He is just one of the best. I am very fortunate to be able to break it."
Oilers Extend Remarkable Win Streak The Oilers' continued dominance in the NHL is reflected in their current season record of 27-15-1. They have been nearly unstoppable in their last 25 games, boasting an impressive 22-3-0 run. This level of performance draws parallels to the NHL record for consecutive wins, which stands at 17 by the Pittsburgh Penguins during the 1992-93 season—an achievement the Oilers are inching closer to with each victory. Warren Foegele and Evander Kane were instrumental in this latest triumph, with each player contributing a goal and an assist. Their efforts, along with goals from Connor McDavid and Dylan Holloway, ensured that the Oilers maintained their momentum throughout the contest. Foegele expressed his admiration for Skinner's contribution: "That honestly could have been a 5-0 deficit after two periods. He was rock solid. He has been playing unbelievable,” he said about the goaltender's impact on the game. "He has been unreal for the last few months," Foegele commented further on Skinner's outstanding form. Scoring Highlights Kane's power-play goal set the tone early in the game, marking his 15th goal of the season. McDavid, continuing his exceptional play, extended his home point scoring streak to 17 games with a goal of his own. Meanwhile, Holloway found the back of the net for the second time this season, rounding out the Oilers' offensive showcase. Despite being outshot by Columbus 23-13 through the first two periods, Edmonton's resilience shone through. Kane reflected on the team's mindset, stating, "I think we just all knew if we played our brand of hockey in the third, because we didn’t in the first two periods obviously, we liked our chances." True to his word, the Oilers rallied in the final period, with Kane adding, "I thought we came out and did that for the most part." Columbus Struggles Continue The Blue Jackets, whose record fell to 14-23-9, have encountered difficulties in finding their rhythm, losing five of their last six games. Dmitri Voronkov provided the lone bright spot for Columbus, scoring their only goal of the evening. Despite a strong start, the Blue Jackets were unable to maintain their initial pace. Adam Fantilli, a forward for Columbus, reflected on the game's progression, saying, "We’re a team that can really disrupt the flow of a game with our speed and I thought that was kind of our plan to come out and play fast and be disruptive. I thought it was kind of going our way and we got away from it at the end there." As the Oilers continue their pursuit of history, their next games will be watched with bated breath by fans and analysts alike. With Skinner's record-breaking form and the team's collective strength, the excitement surrounding their potential to surpass the longest winning streak in NHL history is palpable. Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets will be looking to regroup and find a way to turn their fortunes around as the season progresses.