Sharks at Oilers
The San Jose Sharks look to continue solidifying their playoff position in the crowded Western Conference race when they start a three-game road trip against the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday night. The Sharks have recorded at least a point in five of their last seven games after knocking off Detroit 5-3 on Monday and lead Los Angeles by one point for second place in the Pacific Division.
“We’ve got to keep trying to build that (lead in the standings),” San Jose captain Joe Pavelski told reporters. “You know how hard you’ve worked to get a couple points ahead. You can’t expect to let that go and then climb back.” The Sharks scored 11 goals in beating Edmonton twice during February and hope to make it three out of four this season against the Oilers, who are out of the playoff race. Edmonton had won three straight games before being shut out by Calgary 1-0 on Tuesday night as captain Connor McDavid saw his seven-game point streak come to an end despite registering five shots. McDavid has accumulated six goals and seven assists in the past eight games and leads the team with 84 points.
TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, NBCS California (San Jose), Sportsnet One, Sportsnet West (Edmonton)
ABOUT THE SHARKS (37-23-9): Pavelski has led the offense of late with three goals and six assists in his last six games to push his team-leading total to 55 points - two better than defenseman Brent Burns, who has three in the last 11 games. Former ninth-overall pick Timo Meier has emerged as an offensive force this season with 18 goals after notching a goal and an assist against Detroit. Logan Couture (49 points) leads the team with 27 goals, but has been left off the scoresheet in four consecutive contests, while goalie Martin Jones allowed four goals in his last three starts.
ABOUT THE OILERS (30-35-4): McDavid boasts 33 goals, already three more than in his total from 2016-17 when he won the Hart and Art Ross Trophies and only five of them have come on the power play. Fellow center Leon Draisaitl owns five goals in his last 10 games along with 61 points overall. Forward Ryan Strome has gone seven games without a goal after accumulating five over the previous five contests while veteran power forward Milan Lucic managed one point in his past seven games.
OVERTIME
1. Edmonton LW Michael Cammalleri, who has gone six games without a point, played his 900th NHL contest Tuesday.
2. San Jose D Dylan DeMelo has registered seven assists and a plus-four rating in five games during March.
3. The Sharks are 13-for-13 on the penalty kill over the last eight games and the Oilers 17-for-18 in the past seven.