Wild host Islanders with Blue Jackets looming (Dec 29, 2016)
Even after their 11th straight victory, the Minnesota Wild do not boast the longest active winning streak in the NHL.
That honor belongs to the red-hot Columbus Blue Jackets, who won 13 straight. The teams are on a potential collision course with their double-digit win streaks on the line as they face off Saturday in St. Paul, Minn.
Before that, though, Minnesota must survive a home game against the visiting New York Islanders. The Wild (22-8-4) have already set a franchise record for most wins in a row but can extend that Thursday night when the Islanders (14-14-6) come to town.
Minnesota's 11th consecutive victory took a little extra time. The Wild needed overtime to escape Nashville with a 3-2 victory over the Predators on Tuesday.
"We have some guys that have been around," Wild forward Eric Staal told the Minneapolis Star Tribune after Tuesday's game. "They understand what it's going to take right now for us to keep winning games. We want to keep this going as long as we can."
The Wild's streak makes the mini-run the Islanders are on look trivial. New York won its last three after losing five straight, a drought that was bookended by a pair of 6-2 losses.
It's been a struggle for New York to find consistency throughout the first few months of the season. The Islanders are 12th in the NHL in goals per game (2.7) but rank near the bottom in goals against -- 3.0, 27th in the league.
However, the Isles have been more cohesive as of late. Just how much better, though, will be tested against a Wild team that hasn't lost in nearly a month.
"We're playing better for sure," forward Nikolay Kulemin told Newsday. "I think we were changing lines a lot before and now, the last few games, the lines are the same and we're getting some chemistry with each one."
Minnesota is playing at a much higher level than it was when the Wild faced the Islanders earlier this season. That was Oct. 23, when Minnesota's players were still getting a feel for new coach Bruce Boudreau. The Wild fell to 3-2-1 after a 6-3 road loss to New York.
Wild forward Jordan Schroeder wasn't in the lineup the last time Minnesota and New York took the ice. He's spent the season bouncing between the minors and the NHL, but was pivotal in Tuesday's overtime victory as he assisted on the game-winning goal.
Minnesota hopes Schroeder -- who has played in only five NHL games this year -- can continue to give it a spark.
"That's the capability I think I have to make plays each and every night," Schroeder told the Star Tribune. "When you get the opportunity to move up, to try and take advantage of it, it's fun playing that way, playing with confidence. You just keep going."
