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The Sharks have been pretty bad over their last ten games. Just one win over those ten games, a hideous 4.3 goals against during that time.
On a night where Anthony Stolarz made what will likely end up being his only scheduled start in net, the Oilers wanted nothing more than to close out their home portion of the schedule with a win against a struggling Sharks club. Regardless of how this one turned out, the OIlers are going to fail to qualify for the playoffs for the twelfth time in thirteen years. A win helps sooth these things, although temporarily. Perhaps the Oilers could exploit a Sharks club that’s on a slide.
Unfortunately, you’ve been coming here long enough to know how this one ends.
Leon Draisaitl had a pair of goals to get to would 48 and 49 on the season, but it would be the San Jose Sharks who would emerge victorious. Gustav Nyquist would score the game winner late in the second period to put the Sharks up 3-2.
Leon had a beautiful shorthanded goal to get things started for the Oilers.
If you’re going to make a splash into the pool, make it big. This shorthanded goal gave the Oilers a 1-0 lead just two minutes into the first. The goal was also Leon Draisaitl’s 48th of the season, just two away from 50. Maybe this won’t be so bad after all.
.The festivities however, were short lived. Joe Thornton hooked up with Marcus Sorensen midway through the first to tie it up.
I don’t think that Sorensen is touched in front of the net. Midway through one, it’s 1-1.
It took just over a minute for the Sharks to grab the lead.
StolarKassian tried to get a handle on the big man, but Brent Burns’ wrister from Stolarz’ left was such a laser that lots of folks didn’t even know it went in. Ten minutes have elapsed in the first period, and the Sharks have found the lead. The Sharks would take a 2-1 lead to the dressing room after one.
49
Load up Leon Draisait, and let him rip.
A pretty set up from McDavid (surprise), Benning gets the puck to an open Leon. Leon doesn’t miss, and he’s got it knotted up at 2 early in the second period. The goal is Leon’s 49th of the year, which sets the table for Saturday night.
Can the Oilers find any more goals to push this one over the hill?
Actually, no. Brent Burns would fire one late in the second period that would get tipped by Gustav Nyquist to put the Sharks up permanently.
That’s it. Sharks would take a 3-2 lead to the dressing room after two, and the score would hold.
ETC
Interesting to see the online feedback to the Rieder chants, as it was during Lucic chants earlier this year.
— Jonathan Willis (@JonathanWillis) April 5, 2019
I think most Oilers fans understand how tough it is as a player to have a bad year in Edmonton. More than that, they want their players to succeed.
It's nice to see.
- In a season that I’m sure he’ll want to forget, everyone wants Tobias Rieder to get at least one goal. Maybe that’s Saturday in Calgary.
- Anthony Stolarz turned aside 24 of 27 San Jose shots in a 3-2 loss. Sure would be nice to get to see him over a few more games to make a determination as to whether or not he could be an inexpensive option for backup next season.
- L50N: One more goal for Leon Draisaitl will give him 50 on the season. He’ll have three periods to do it in against the Flames on Saturday night.
- Seriously, this season stunk. Go to Calgary and score 7 goals. We’ll try to forget about this season once the draft lottery comes in the next four days. Also, the draft lottery is in four days.