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 The Oilers stormed back with six unanswered goals over the final
40 minutes to beat the Sharks 6-3 in front of 16,570 fans at SAP
Center.
"I think we all knew after the first that we weren't playing very
good," Edmonton defenseman Adam Clendening said. "(Coach) Todd
(McLellan) kind of gave it to us a bit during the first
intermission."
The mood was understandably one of blunt frustration in the opposite
locker room.
"When we get that 2-0 lead, it's got to be game over," Sharks
captain Joe Pavelski said.
The Sharks failed to clinch a playoff spot for a second straight
game, and they failed to take advantage of the fact Los Angeles lost
and Anaheim earned only one point during an overtime loss. San Jose
remains in third place in the Pacific. San Jose remains in third
place in the Pacific Division, two points behind the Ducks and five
back of the first-place Kings.
 "We're still within range," Sharks goalie James Reimer said. "We'll
keep doing our best to win games, get points and whatever happens
when playoffs come we'll make the most of it."
Roman Polak's blast from the right point was redirected by Tommy
Wingels past Edmonton goalie Cam Talbot at 3:47 of the first period
for a 1-0 Sharks advantage. Wingels' seventh goal of the season was
his first point in four games since returning from an injury that
kept him out 14 games.
San Jose converted its first power-play chance just past the midway
point of the period, taking advantage of an after-the-whistle
unsportsmanlike minor on Edmonton forward Zack Kassian.
Pavelski one-timed a feed from Joe Thornton for his 35th goal of the
season at 11:41 as San Jose's top power-play unit emerged from a
recent dry spell to give it a 2-0 advantage.
But the Oilers blitzed the Sharks in the second period, scoring four
goals on nine shots to take a 4-3 lead after 40 minutes.
"They came out strong the final 40 minutes and found a way to get
some goals," Reimer said.
The Edmonton rally started at 1:39 when Lauri Korpikoski scored his
10th of the season by reaching as far as he could to redirect a
point shot past San Jose goalie James Reimer to pull within 2-1.
Sharks' forward Patrick Marleau coughed up the puck along the boards
and Taylor Hall fired high and off Reimer's left shoulder for his
24th goal to tie it 2-2 at 8:18.
Edmonton made it two goals in 45 seconds when Clendening's wrist
shot found a way through an inadvertent screen by Wingels and
Clendening's first goal of the season came at 9:03 to make it 3-2.
The Sharks briefly tied the game again when Marleau atoned for his
turnover with a power-play strike at 12:26. Marleau's 21st goal
enabled Thornton to pull even with Mark Recchi in 14th place on the
all-time assist list with his 956th career helper.
[to top of second column] |
But Edmonton struck one last time as Patrick Maroon capped a 2-on-1
break by one-timing a Connor McDavid pass through defenseman Brent
Burns past Reimer to make it 4-3 at 18:04. Maroon's seventh goal
came on a delayed penalty as San Jose's Joel Ward had interfered
with Talbot.
"In the second and third we kept the game simple, played them on the
open ice and we established a forecheck," Clendening said.
Jordan Eberle scored his 24th goal at 12:54 of the third period to
give the visitors insurance, and Hall filled an empty net with 5.8
seconds left for his second goal of the game to cap the scoring.
"We kind of got our butts in gear after the first period and started
to play hockey again," Hall said. "We have to play every game and
not wait until the second period."
And adding injury to insult, the Sharks played the final 33 minutes
without rookie forward Joonas Donskoi.
"Puck possession time, we missed that," Pavelski said. "But we have
more than enough guys who can step in, play a role and get the job
done. It's not an excuse. He's a big player for us, but we've got to
do better."
NOTES: Edmonton rookie C Connor McDavid extended his point streak to
eight games with one assist. ... The Sharks were 7-0-2 at home vs.
the Oilers since Jan. 13, 2011. ... Edmonton C Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
sustained a concussion on Tuesday against Arizona and may miss the
Oilers' remaining five games, according to coach Todd McLellan.
"He's got a minor concussion and we're going to treat it with kid
gloves at this point, where we are in the standings and the time of
year," McLellan said. ... LW Micheal Haley was promoted from AHL
affiliate San Jose. ... The Oilers conclude a three-game road trip
on Saturday at Los Angeles. ... The Sharks next host the Dallas
Stars on Saturday. ... D Adam Pardy, RW Adam Cracknell, C Anton
Lander and D Nikita Nikitin did not dress for Edmonton while C
Dainius Zubrus was San Jose's lone healthy scratch.
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