Oilers Rally Past Sharks 5-3 Without Draisaitl
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By Doug Hirdle
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Summary:
- The Edmonton Oilers defeated the San Jose Sharks 5-3 on Tuesday, extending their strong March run.
- The victory came in the absence of Leon Draisaitl.
- Adam Henrique recorded two assists, while Zach Hyman sealed it late.
The Edmonton Oilers found a way to get it done without one of their biggest stars on Tuesday night, beating the San Jose Sharks 5-3 in a game that could matter down the stretch.
Draisaitl Out, Lineup Contributions In
With Leon Draisaitl on the side due to a lower-body injury that is expected to keep him out for the rest of the regular season, Edmonton was desperate for contributions from across the lineup.
The team delivered, with Adam Henrique in the lead with two assists, and goals from Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Connor Murphy, Vasily Podkolzin, Max Jones and Zach Hyman, as Edmonton improved to 34-26-9.
The win marks their second in a row and continues a solid run in March, where they now sit at 5-2-1. It also briefly pulls them level with the Anaheim Ducks at the top of the Pacific Division.
Five Losses in Seven Games for Sharks
San Jose had its moments, with Dmitry Orlov, Pavol Regenda and Kiefer Sherwood finding the net. Still, the Sharks couldn’t hold on, dropping their second straight and losing five of their last seven to fall to 32-28-6.
In goal, Connor Ingram made 27 saves for Edmonton, while Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 32 shots for San Jose.
One of the key moments came midway through the third period. With just under 12 minutes left, Hyman pounced on a loose rebound and lifted a backhand into the net from his knees to make it 5-3. It was his 29th goal in just 50 games, and it effectively sealed the result.
There were a couple of notable side stories as well. For San Jose, teenage standout Macklin Celebrini saw his nine-game point streak come to an end. He had been on a tear, collecting 14 points during that stretch, and is still closing in on a rare milestone for players his age.
On the Edmonton side, defenceman Evan Bouchard continued his strong form, adding another assist. He now has 32 points in his last 21 games and has been particularly effective against the Sharks over his career.
Both teams will be back in action Thursday, with the Sharks visiting the Buffalo Sabres and the Oilers set to host the Florida Panthers.
