The Edmonton Oilers play their final home game of the season Thursday night against a team they simply haven’t been able to slow down.
The San Jose Sharks have gone 3-0-1 against the Oilers this season while outscoring them 22-12.
“They have lots of depth. When a team has Jumbo Joe (Thornton) on its third line, that gives other teams tough match-ups,” said Oilers forward Alex Chiasson. “They have a lot of tools to be dangerous.”
The Sharks boast 10 players who have topped 40 points this season. The Oilers have just four players who have hit that plateau.
Anthony Stolarz will start in goal for Edmonton for the second time since being acquired from Philadelphia on Feb. 15.
“I just want to go out there and have some fun. To be able to play here in Edmonton on home ice is exciting,” said Stolarz, who made 37 saves in a 3-2 loss to Toronto in his other start on March 9.
The Oilers expected lineup is:
Draisaitl – McDavid – Kassian
Lucic – Nugent-Hopkins – Rattie
Rieder – Cave – Chiasson
Gambardella – Gagner – Currie
Klefbom – Larsson
Nurse – Russell
Sekera – Benning
Stolarz
Catch the Oilers and Sharks on 630 CHED with the Face-off Show at 5:30 p.m. The game starts at 7 p.m.