Sharks at Oilers
The San Jose Sharks continue their five-game road trip Wednesday, when they pay a visit to the Edmonton Oilers. San Jose still is seeking its first win on the trek as it dropped a 5-2 decision to the Kings in Los Angeles on Saturday before becoming the Anaheim Ducks' franchise-record 12th consecutive victim at the Honda Center on Monday. With the 5-3 setback, the Sharks are winless in their last five road games (0-4-1) and have just one victory in their last seven overall contests (1-4-2).
Edmonton enters Wednesday's outing with a four-game point streak (3-0-1). After winning the final two contests of its franchise-record nine-game road trip, Edmonton began its four-game homestand Friday with a 3-2 overtime loss to the Detroit Red Wings in which it held a two-goal lead. The Oilers rebounded against the Nashville Predators on Sunday as Lennart Petrell scored a short-handed goal midway through the third period to snap a tie and Jordan Eberle added an insurance tally with 4:11 remaining.
TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, CSN California (San Jose), TSN
ABOUT THE SHARKS (12-10-6): Right wing Martin Havlat made his first appearance since March 2 against Nashville and recorded an assist on Monday. The 31-year-old was sidelined for seven games with a lower-body injury. Left wing Ryane Clowe did not play against the Ducks due to a shoulder injury he suffered in Saturday's loss to the Kings. Monday's game was just the third in the last 18 in which San Jose scored more than two goals. Captain Joe Thornton needs one assist for sole possession of 35th place on the all-time list. He is tied with Jean Ratelle with 776 assists. Brent Burns notched an assist against Anaheim, giving him six points in four games since returning from a lower-body injury and switching from defense to forward.
ABOUT THE OILERS (11-11-6): Left wing Magnus Paajarvi has recorded six goals and two assists, with all but two of the tallies coming in his last eight games. "I've been playing better lately, getting more minutes," the 21-year-old Swede said. "It's been good lately. I think (hard work) goes a very long way." Defenseman Mark Fistric returned to the lineup Sunday after missing eight games with an elbow injury. The 26-year-old Edmonton native was plus-2 and blocked three shots in 17 minutes of ice time.
OVERTIME
1. San Jose enters with a six-game point streak (4-0-2) against Edmonton and has won 13 of the last 17 contests in the all-time series.
2. The Sharks have captured eight of their last 10 visits to Rexall Place.
3. Sunday's victory was Edmonton's first in eight tries this season when tied after two periods.
PREDICTION: Sharks 3, Oilers 2