By Daniel Nugent-Bowman (The Athletic)
EDMONTON — The realization of leaving behind his wife, Autumn, to take the Oilers coaching job got Kris Knoblauch choked up Monday morning, nearly bringing him to tears.
Seeing her broadcast in the dressing room on a video screen from Hartford, Conn., after his first NHL victory and hearing her words of congratulations was a much better bookend to the day.
The Oilers defeated the New York Islanders 4-1 on the strength of four unanswered goals — three in the third period — to make the 45-year-old a winner in his debut as a full-time NHL coach.
“It feels amazing to get that first win,” Knoblauch said. “Being a head coach was a highlight. It’s much better when you win.”
The win was the second straight for the Oilers, the first time they’ve done that this season. Monday was their 14th game.
The performance perhaps wasn’t as sound or convincing as the identical 4-1 result in former coach Jay Woodcroft’s swan song against Seattle, but it was nonetheless impressive.
“It was everything we’ve been kind of missing,” captain Connor McDavid said.
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