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Streaking Oilers host struggling Ducks

Dec 7, 2010 - 3:51 PM (Sports Network) - The suddenly-hot Edmonton Oilers will try to extend their longest winning streak of the season when they welcome the Anaheim Ducks for tonight's clash at Rexall Place.

The Oilers have won four straight games and the club has also posted victories in six of their last eight contests. Edmonton's winning streak is the longest for the club since it won five in a row from Dec. 3-11 of last season.

Despite the hot stretch, Edmonton still has just 24 points on the year and is tied for last in the Western Conference with Calgary.

The Oilers began a six-game homestand in their last trip to the ice and Saturday's victory over St. Louis improved Edmonton's record at Rexall Place this season to 4-6-1.

Taylor Hall scored a breakaway goal only 23 seconds into overtime to give Edmonton the 2-1 victory over the Blues. The goal was set up when Blues forward Andy McDonald slipped at the top of the blue line and hit his head on Shawn Horcoff's leg. The puck bounced toward mid-ice where Hall picked it up and was able to wrist it past Jaroslav Halak.

"I think that was my first breakaway this year," Hall said. "It is nice to get on a breakaway. It's all about feel. You have to know when to go."

Hall, a 19-year-old rookie and the first overall pick in this year's draft, has scored four goals in as many games and was rewarded with the NHL's Third Star for the week ending Dec. 5.

Ryan Jones also tallied for the Oilers on Saturday and Nikolai Khabibulin stopped 31 shots in the win.

The Ducks had won three straight before losing two in a row this weekend on home ice. Anaheim began a four-game homestand with wins over Los Angeles and Florida, but closed the residency by getting shut out in consecutive games against Detroit and Phoenix.

Anaheim was dealt a 4-0 loss by the Red Wings on Friday and then dropped a 3-0 decision to Phoenix on Sunday. The Ducks enter tonight with a scoreless streak of 120 minutes, 31 seconds.

Ilya Bryzgalov made 26 saves to record his second shutout of the season in the Coyotes' win at the Honda Center. Jonas Hiller stopped 36 shots for Anaheim, which lost for the eighth time in 11 games.

"It's frustrating when you're out there trying to work as hard as you can and things aren't happening," said Anaheim captain Ryan Getzlaf.

The Ducks have struggled to a 4-7-2 road record this season, but they'll have to change that if they want to have success in December. Starting with tonight's test, Anaheim will play nine of its next 11 games away from Orange County.

Anaheim winger Teemu Selanne has missed two straight and five of the last seven games with a groin problem. The 40-year-old Finnish star is joining the team on its two-game road trip and is questionable for tonight.

Edmonton notched a 4-2 win in Anaheim on Nov. 21 to halt a five-game series losing streak. The Ducks have still won six out of eight against the Oilers overall and five straight at Rexall Place.