Two organizations heading in opposite directions did battle as the San Jose Sharks (20-48-11) travelled to Edmonton to play the Oilers (46-28-5) in game three of their four-game season series on Friday night (April 11). The Oilers won the previous two meetings by identical 3-2 scores. Edmonton was still banged up in this one, as they were without Leon Draisaitl, Jake Walman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Trent Frederic. However, defenceman Mattias Ekholm returned to the lineup after missing the last seven games but left early in the first period and did not return. The Oilers also lost Zach Hyman to injury midway through this contest. Meanwhile, San Jose was without defenceman Mario Ferraro, who’s done for the season after blocking a shot during their last contest. Jan Rutta took his place after missing the previous 27 games with a lower-body injury.
Heading into this contest, the Oilers needed one point to clinch a playoff berth, and they did exactly that as they defeated the Sharks 4-2. Here’s your game recap.
Game Recap
The Oilers opened the scoring on the power play 6:47 into the first period. Connor McDavid found Evan Bouchard at the point, and he ripped a one-timer blocker-side, past goaltender Georgi Romanov for his 14th of the season. Then, Ty Emberson scored his first goal as an Oiler against his former team. McDavid deked around the defender and fed Emberson for the back-door tap-in with 5:19 remaining in the period.
The Sharks answered back with under three minutes remaining. Nikolai Kovalenko set up Will Smith, and his wrister beat goaltender Calvin Pickard under the right arm for his 18th of the campaign. Therefore, Edmonton took a 2-1 lead into the dressing room and had a 14-6 shot advantage.
Related: Projected Lineups for Sharks at Oilers – 4/11/25
San Jose tied the game 5:44 into the second period on Henry Thrun’s second of the season. An Oilers turnover in the defensive zone resulted in offensive zone time for the Sharks. In the ensuing sequence, Thrun threw the puck on the net, and it went off the skate of defenceman Darnell Nurse and past Pickard. This game was tied after two, with the Sharks starting the final frame on the man advantage. The Oilers had a 27-16 shot advantage.
They didn’t capitalize on that early power play, which came back to bite them because Edmonton got a power play of their own a few minutes later and made no mistake. McDavid threw the rubber on the net, and Corey Perry pounced on the loose puck and jammed it past Romanov for his 17th of the season. Then, Connor Brown added an empty-netter with 25 seconds remaining to seal the deal and secure Edmonton’s sixth consecutive playoff berth.
McDavid had four points, and Pickard made 22 saves on 24 shots for a .917 save percentage (SV%) in the victory. Romanov stopped 30 of 33 shots for a .909 SV% in defeat.
Both teams are back in action on Sunday, April 13. The Sharks continue their three-game Western Canadian road trip against the Calgary Flames, and the Oilers travel to Winnipeg to play the Jets. These two teams will meet again in the regular season finale on April 16 in San Jose.
