Ask an Edmonton Oil King player, coach, manager, trainer, broadcaster or booster and they'll all respond the same way, the streak doesn't matter, only the next win does. It has to be that way for the team or else they start drifting off and setting up their opponents for 5 alarm chances.
But that doesn't mean the media can't bring up some lofty numbers. Global's John Sexsmith had the stat on Sunday that it had been exactly 2 months since the team's last loss, a 6-4 defeat to Kelowna at Rexall Place. Since then 11 in the regular season and 11 straight in the playoffs has them up 3-0 with a chance to tie the record Wednesday night.
Guy and Corey Graham have pointed out before that the Kings are perfect with Oilers draft pick Travis Ewanyk in the line up this year, as he didn't play his first game until February 27th against Calgary, which was victory #1 of the Black Jack streak.
We had a listener question on last night's show about whether any team has gone unbeaten to win a WHL title. Thanks to the WHL's Cory Flett we can report that yes it has happened.
The 1989 Swift Current Broncos swept their way to a WHL title, however there were only 3 rounds to win, instead of the current 4, so their streak was 12-0.
Since the 4 round format no team has ran the table, but in the last few years there have been a pair of 12 game winning streaks.
Vancouver won their last 12 games to sew up a league title in 2006, While Calgary won it's first 12 on route to the Ed Chynoweth Cup in 2009 only to lose in the final to Kelowna.
As for a total win streak including the playoffs, it's 27 set but the 1980-81 Victoria Cougars, backstopped by Grant Fuhr.
So the current Oil King run puts them 2 playoff wins away from setting a record, and 6 from reaching the mark for longest run combined with a regular season streak.
That's pretty impressive. Tune in Wednesday to see if it continues. Corey Graham will have the call on the TEAM 1260 and the game will be broadcast from 'not the crushed can' on SHAW TV.
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