Smith said that ingrained competitive nature is what has allowed him to stay in the NHL for as long as he has. The 37-year-old added he's enjoying the partnership he's created with Koskinen, who's 2-0-0 with a 2.40 GAA and .914 save percentage.
"I'd like to play all the games if I could," Smith laughed. "That's the mentality I've had for a long time and I think that's what's kept me in the League for a long time. I want to play and be part of the team's success, but saying that, we're a group in here and I'm a big proponent of having two guys that are capable of playing important games.
"Mikko has done an unbelievable job to start the season. I think the goaltending has been real solid for this group and it's a trickle-down effect. A lot of it starts with the back end and how we're carrying ourselves in the net."
Neal echoed those sentiments, saying the strong play of Smith and Koskinen has allowed the position players to excel.
"It gives us a lot of confidence in our game," he said. "They've both been playing great and giving us a chance to win. We wouldn't be where we are right now if it wasn't for them."
SPECIAL TEAMS SOLID
Speaking of significant factors contributing to Edmonton's historic start, both the power play and penalty kill have been among the best in the League.
The Oilers are 7-for-17 with the man advantage for a 41.2% success rate, which is good enough for second in the NHL behind the Buffalo Sabres at 42.1%. They've also scored a power-play goal in four consecutive games.
"The way we're moving the puck around, the way we're in our spots and the way we can inter-change, I think there's lots of good things there and lots to look forward to," said Neal, who's tallied five of his seven goals this season on the PP.
"It'll continue to get better, but I think we have good confidence in it right now. If one guy is covered, there's going to be another guy open. It's hard for penalty killers to take away all the options. We feel like if we get a chance to score on the PP, we're going to score and we're going to win the game. If you get teams to take a tough penalty and you capitalize on it, that's always a good thing. I like the way we're going this early in the season."
Edmonton's PK also ranks second in the NHL at 94.1%, trailing only the Vegas Golden Knights who have killed 95.5% of their infractions. Coach Tippett said the team's shorthanded staffers have relished their roles, leading to the early success.
"You have people that are really bought in and really taking pride in it," he said. "That makes a good penalty kill. Our D has done a nice job, our goaltending has been solid, we've got forwards out there that know exactly what their role is and what they're supposed to do, and they're taking pride in it."
