Edmonton Oilers surrender lead in third and lose to Sharks

A poor start and poor finish cost the Edmonton Oilers as they lost 6-4 to the San Jose Sharks Saturday night.

For the tenth time this season, the Oilers allowed a goal on the first shot against. Joakim Ryan’s shot from the point eluded Al Montoya 1:15 into the game. Six minutes later, Darnell Nurse tried to pass the puck to Brandon Davidson beind the Oilers net. The puck clipped off the referee’s skate, hit the side of the net, and bounced to Joe Pavelski, who stuffed it home to make it 2-0.

The Sharks added another one from Barclay Goodrow early in the second. The Oilers finally woke up after that. Zack Kassian scored on breakaways five-and-a-half minutes apart to pull the Oilers within a goal. Leon Draisaitl converted a rebound with 1:58 left in the frame, giving the Oilers three goals in 9:13 and a 3-3 tie.

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Brandon Davidson banged in Draisaitl’s rebound 1:21 into the third to put the Oilers ahead. Tomas Hertl roofed a backhand over Montoya 2:20 later to make it 4-4. The Sharks took consecutive penalties late in the third giving the Oilers 3:53 straight on the power play, but Edmonton couldn’t convert.

Ryan joined the rush and slid in his own rebound to put the Sharks back in front with 2:27 to play. Pavelski added an empty netter.

After the game, Oilers head coach Todd McLellan was disappointed in some mistakes that led to pivotal goals in the game. He says, “The second, third and the fifth goal were all on our tape and we found ways to give them the puck in important areas, and they scored. (It’s) great that we had fortitude to come back and push in the game, I don’t question that from our group, but the game management, again, was poor in many areas.”

Draisaitl finished the three game California swing with two goals and an assist, but the Oilers couldn’t get a single win. He says the team’s ability to score when needed has changed from last year, noting, “(Last year) we would come back in this game and we would find a way to win, and this year it seems we find ways to lose this game. It’s frustrating.”

Connor McDavid had his five-game point streak come to an end.

The Oilers now fall to 23-27-4 on the season, and are 16 points out of the final playoff spot in the West. They’ll host Florida on Monday.