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Edmonton Oilers @ San Jose Sharks Game Preview

Oilers try to get back into the win column with visit to San Jose

Brent Burns leads the Sharks in scoring with 74 points.
Brent Burns leads the Sharks in scoring with 74 points.
Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports


Edmonton

@

San Jose
44-26-9, 97 points, 1.228 p/g Ranks 45-28-7, 97 points, 1212 p/g
Pacific DIvision - 2nd Pacific Division - 3rd
9th Points per Game 10th
12th Special Teams 19th
9th Shots on Goal 17th
8th Goals Against per Game 6th
8:30 PM MDT
TV - Sportsnet West
Radio - 630 CHED
SAP Center

The opposing view

PROJECTED
FORWARDS

Patrick Maroon - Connor McDavid - Leon Draisaitl
Milan Lucic - Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - Jordan Eberle
Benoit Pouliot - David Desharnais - Zack Kassian
Drake CaggiulaMark Letestu - Anton Slepyshev

DEFENCE

Oscar Klefbom - Adam Larsson
Andrej Sekera - Kris Russell
Darnell Nurse - Matthew Benning

GOAL

Cam Talbot
Laurent Brossoit


Second In Line

The Oilers burst out to a two goal lead against the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday night, but were unable to keep that lead as the Kings roared back with three goals in the second period.  The Oilers would eventually make ait a 3-3 game by the end of the second, but were unable to hang on in a 6-4 loss to the Kings.  Edmonton's chance at winning the division has flickered a bit over the last 48 hours, and they'll likely need to win out in order to have a chance at the Pacific Division lead.

Tonight, they'll face a Sharks squad that's right there with the Oilers in the standings.   Can the Oilers rebound from Tuesday's loss?

The Oilers are saying

That's Connor McDavid on the NHL's decision not to go to the Olympics in 2018

Several Oilers will miss this opportunity to play for their respective clubs in 2018.  Of course, there's Connor McDavid for Canada, but there's Leon Draisaitl for Germany and Adam Larsson for Sweden.  McDavid seems none too pleased that he won't be afforded this opportunity, and I'd doubt any of the players feel differently.

The opponents are saying

That's Sharks forward Joe Thornton.  Thornton was surprisingly out on the ice after sustaining what looked like an ugly leg injury against Vancouver's Michael Chaput on Sunday.

Thornton is out for tonight, but he may return to the Sharks for round one of the playoffs.    Thornton currently ranks fourth on the Sharks with 50 points (7-43-50) in 79 games played.

Have some of this

  • Defenceman Brent Burns leads the Sharks in scoring with 74 points (28-46-74) in 80 games.
  • Connor McDavid sits at 95 points after one assist in Tuesday's 6-4 loss to the Kings.  Five points in three games will give him 100 on the year, and I see two games versus the Canucks coming up.
  • Talbot will likely want to flush last game from the bowels of his memory, but he'll likely go tonight.   A victory over the Sharks will put him at 41, which would be a new season record for wins by an Oilers goalie.  (40-22-8, .919 SV% / 2.40 GAA / 7 SO).  The Sharks will likely counter with Martin Jones (35-22-6, .913 SV% / 2.37 GAA / 2 SO)
  • The Oilers will be without Tyler Pitlick (knee).  The Sharks will be without Joe Thornton (lower body) and Logan Couture (mouth)
  • A LITTLE HELP: Oilers will need to run the table in order to have a chance at winning the Pacific Division.  Anaheim will need to help out by winning no more than one game en route to the end of the season.  I like Edmonton's chances if they can get by the Sharks tonight.
  • #GOILERS