The San Jose Sharks knew tonight’s game would be a test. The Oilers are the best team in the Pacific Division and they ice the best player in the NHL every night in Connor McDavid. It was a test and the Sharks passed with flying colors.
San Jose played a complete 60 minutes and beat the Oilers by scoring the first goal of the game—and the second and the third. They continued the pressure in the second and the third even when the Oilers pushed to close the gap.
It was a great team win, with 13 players earning a point. Barclay Goodrow was one of the best players on the ice, netting his first NHL Gordie Howe hat trick with a goal, an assist and a fight that I think he won.
The Sharks now head to Anaheim to play the Ducks on Thursday night.
The Sharks have matched their season-high three consecutive wins following a shootout victory over the Nashville Predators on Saturday. Between them and a longer win streak stand the Edmonton Oilers, who started the season with four straight wins and most recently beat the Anaheim Ducks 6-2. Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins both scored twice on Sunday—and they aren’t the only two offensive threats the Oilers have. Leon Draisaitl leads the league in points, while James Neal started the season with an outrageous number of goals and still sits at fifth.
The Sharks will be facing their biggest defensive test tonight; we’ll soon find out just how much stronger their defense is with the return of Radim Simek.
Lines
Sharks
Projected lines for the #SJSharks game tonight against the Oilers. pic.twitter.com/stfpS77urh
— Nothing to Fear the Fin (@fearthefin) November 12, 2019
Scratched: Lukas Radil
Injured: Mario Ferraro
Oilers (via nhl.com):
Leon Draisaitl — Connor McDavid — Zack Kassian
James Neal — Ryan Nugent-Hopkins — Alex Chiasson
Jujhar Khaira — Riley Sheahan — Josh Archibald
Joakim Nygard — Sam Gagner — Patrick Russell
Darnell Nurse — Ethan Bear
Oscar Klefbom — Kris Russell
Brandon Manning — Matt Benning
Mike Smith
Mikko Koskinen
Expected scratches: Markus Granlund, Gaetan Haas, Joel Persson
Injured: Adam Larsson (leg)
Where to Watch:
You can catch tonight’s game on NBC Sports California, ESPN+, or SportsNet; nhl.tv also has the stream. Radio listeners can use the Sharks app or tune to 98.5 KFOX.
First Period
15:59: Brent Burns strides in from the red line and fires a shot to the corner over Smith’s glove hand. Radim Simek registered his first assist of the season.
12:54: Erik Karlsson’s breakout pass gets cut off by Jujhar Khaira in center ice.
12:33: Evander Kane picks up a rebound to put the Sharks ahead by two. Logan Couture’s shot had gone wide and around the boards, where the Sharks defense collected it and put it back to the net. Kane was waiting on Smith’s left.
11:21: Dylan Gambrell throws the puck at the net from below the goal line. It bounces up and lands in the crease, but the Oilers claim it.
8:48: Tim Heed takes a shot on goal. Patrick Marleau cuts across the slot to tip it. 3-0 Sharks.
4:12: The Oilers take the first penalty of the game. With a goal here, the Sharks will be in great position the rest of the game—but we all remember the Wild game getting wild at the end.
3:32: Evander Kane hooks Leon Draisaitl after the faceoff. A goal and a penalty, very on brand first period for him.
END FIRST: Sharks 3, Oilers 0
The Sharks didn’t take long to show they were involved in the game—and they stayed involved the whole time. That was a really solid period of hockey. I’ll be handing it off to Erika Towne for the next two periods tonight.
Second Period
19:20: A pair of consecutive icings leave the Sharks stranded in their own zone.
18:34: Timo Meier shoots and gets a deflection in front by Barclay Goodrow for the Sharks’ fourth goal of the night.
17:12: Melker Karlsson headed to the box for high-sticking. Karlsson is one of the Sharks’ top penalty killers so he will be missed.
15:12: Penalty killed. Score is the same as before.
12:59: Sharks do a good job of keeping McDavid and company to the perimeter. So far in their own zone they’re doing a lot of the little things right.
10:03: Edmonton moms excited to see their boys get on the board. Leon Draisaitl’s shot goes off of Burns and into the net behind Jones. 4-1 Sharks. Please don’t let Draisaitl get hot tonight.
7:45: Marcus Sorensen with an amazing move in the Edmonton zone that almost turned into a goal. Highlight reel if it went in.
7:45: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in the box for tripping.
7:27: Riley Sheahan robbed by Jones. That was a huge save.
5:45: Sharks power play ends with no goal, but some good zone pressure.
4:33: Tomas Hertl called for an interference penalty after he knocks down Connor McDavid and all heck breaks loose. One of the Oilers starts yanking on Tomas Hertl’s helmet and Goodrow takes exception. Goodrow eventually ends up squaring off with Brandon Manning and got a few good shots in before the two tumbled to the ground. Manning gets an extra 10-minute misconduct. Zack Kassian received two for roughing Hertl because of that helmet yank. Even up at 4-on-4.
4:00: Kane and Couture on a 2-on-1, but can’t convert.
2:26: Hertl gets himself a birthday gift he can share with everyone. Erik Karlsson finds some space, shoots it on net and Hertl gets just enough on it to trickle the goal through the pads of Mike Smith. 5-1 Sharks.
End of Second: Sharks 5, Oilers 1
San Jose tacks on a pair of goals thanks to Goodrow and Hertl. Draisaitl scores one for the Oilers. The Sharks are playing their game and possessing the puck, but there’s 20 minutes left in the game. This is where it all fell apart against Minnesota last week, let’s see if the Sharks learned their lesson.
Third Period
16:42: Smith with the stop. Sharks are still pushing the play.
16:24: Evander Kane with a breakaway, he misses, but he’s awarded a penalty shot.
16:24: Kane moves in, but Smith makes the glove save.
14:56: Draisaitl called for unsportsmanlike conduct. The Sharks are on the power play.
13:47: Good zone time and some good chances by the Sharks, but nothing in the net yet.
12:56: Power play is over. No goal.
10:52: Kassian scores to make it 5-2. The initial deflection hits the post, but Kassian takes another shot and Jones can’t get over in time. No one between him and the net. Draisaitl and McDavid get the assists.
9:30: EK65 takes a shot from the point and Timo Meier deflects it just enough to sneak it under the pads of Smith. Sharks take the four goal lead back. 6-2 Sharks.
9:30: Goodrow gets the assist and claims his first NHL Gordie Howe hat trick.
7:42: Sam Gagner makes a super smart veteran play and with nothing to do with the puck behind the net banks it off of Jones’ back and scores. 6-3 Sharks.
2:00: Sharks continue to maintain time in the Oilers’ zone. That helps keep the puck out of your net.
End of the Game: Sharks 6, Oilers 3
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