After showing signs of potentially snapping out of their lengthy funk prior to the Christmas break, the Edmonton Oilers have hit the skids again.
Following a 4-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens Dec. 23, the Oilers had won five of six games, and sat at 17-17-2 for the season - an encouraging mark given the club's play prior to that point.
Since then, the Oilers have dropped six of seven decisions, including a 4-1 defeat at the hands of the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday afternoon.
The scoring drought during their current skid has been rather ugly.
The #oilers have been outscored 28-10 while dropping six of seven games since the Christmas break.
Fans have also been spoiled by some incredible performances such as that by Nikita Kucherov, who is on pace to finish with the highest point total since Sidney Crosby tallied 120 during the 2006-07 season.
It's been an thrilling first three months of the season. So with that here are five other interesting stats as pointed out from NHL Public Relations from the first half of the season:
1. Vegas' points percentage at the midway point rivals all expansion teams in the big-four sports leagues
With a record of 28-10-2 through their first 40 games, the Golden Knights have put together a point percentage of .725, the highest mark among any NHL expansion club at the midway point of a season since the Philadelphia Flyers mark of .568 during the 1967-68 campaign.
The mark is also higher than any in the NBA since the 1961-62 season, in MLB since 1961, and the NFL/AFL since 1960.
Here are the teams that have come closest during that span:
League
Year
Team
Points Percentage at Midway Point
NBA
1976-77
Denver Nuggets
.707
MLB
1961
Washington Senators
.444
NFL/AFL
1995
Carolina Panthers
.375
2. Six players have reached the 50-point plateau at the midpoint for first time in a decade
Half-way through the season six players (Kucherov, Steven Stamkos, Nathan MacKinnon, Claude Giroux, Josh Bailey, and John Tavares) have hit the half-century mark. This is the first time that many players have accomplished the feat since 10 did so during the 2007-08 season.
Of the six, four are on pace to hit 100 points and if all - or at least two of the four - can keep that pace up it would be the first time since the 2009-10 season that multiple players have eclipsed 100 points.
3. Twenty-four players are averaging a point per game
Further to the impressive starts by players at the top of the scoring race, 24 players are averaging at least a point per game (with a minimum of 20 games played).
If this pace keeps up it would be the largest crop of players to finish with at least a point per game since the 2006-07 season when 32 players achieved the feat.
4. Ovechkin on pace to match record for most seasons as the leader in goals
With 26 goals on the season, Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin is currently neck-and-neck with fellow Russian Kucherov for the league-lead in goals.
If Ovechkin can hang on to that lead it would mark the seventh time in his career that he has done so, which would tie him with Bobby Hull for the most in NHL history.
Meanwhile, Ovechkin is just four goals away from hitting the 30-goal mark for the 13th time in his career. Only nine other players in league history have matched that feat.
5. Lightning could become first team in 81 years to lead league in points after missing playoffs in previous season.
Barring a sudden drop in play or a catastrophic injury, the Lightning should capture the Presidents' Trophy this season with the best record in the league.
If they were to do so they would be just the second team in 81 years to lead the league in points after missing the playoffs the previous season, joining the 1993-94 New York Rangers who went on to capture their fourth Stanley Cup in franchise history that season.
There's still a lot of hockey to be played, but it's worth noting the Lightning have paced the league in points since Nov. 28.
Each coach leads his respective division in points percentage, as of Sunday.
For Cooper, he won't be the only member of the Lightning to attend the All-Star Game, as Tampa Bay center Steven Stamkos has also been selected to captain the Atlantic Division team.
The Senators have fielded calls from other teams asking about the 30-year-old due to his history as a strong playoff performer, but the Senators feel he could be vital in turning the ship around, according to Garrioch.
Brassard has 11 goals and 27 points in 40 games this season, but has been better of late with four points in his last five contests.
After spending the entire 2016-17 season at the bottom of the standings, the Colorado Avalanche currently find themselves on the right side of the playoff cutline.
The Avs pounded the Minnesota Wild 7-2 on Saturday night for their fifth straight victory, and in doing so, moved into the second wildcard spot in the West with 47 points - one shy of their entire output a season ago.
Henrik Lundqvist leapfrogged another Hall of Famer on Saturday night.
The New York Rangers goaltender stopped 38 of 39 shots in a 2-1 shootout win over the Arizona Coyotes, and in doing so, moved past Tony Esposito and took sole possession of eighth place on the NHL's all-time wins list among netminders with his 424th career victory.
Lundqvist surpassed Glenn Hall for ninth on the list when he earned his 408th career win in a victory over the Vegas Golden Knights back on Oct. 31.
The 35-year-old is having a solid season, owning a .924 save percentage in 35 games.
