~ Photo credit: (Jason Franson / The Canadian Press)

~ By Pearl Allison Lo

~ Though the San Jose Sharks came to within one twice, two was the decisive number as an early scoring lull gave the Edmonton Oilers a 5-3 win at Rogers Place Monday.

The Sharks scored first, but then gave up three unanswered goals. Edmonton was able to re-establish two-goal leads after San Jose’s attempts to come back. Moreover, right before the Oilers’ third and fourth goal, the Sharks had good and/or close moves at the other end.

San Jose, who was playing without Logan Couture, has now scored three goals in each of their last six games. However, goalie Martin Jones, and the team have given up at least four goals in his last six starts, the last three resulting in an 0-1-2 record. The Sharks were riding a five-game point streak heading into the game.  

Kevin Labanc and Brent Burns assisted on San Jose’s first two goals.  

For Edmonton, Ryan Strome had two goals, Patrick Maroon and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a goal and an assist apiece and Leon Draisaitl had two assists.

It was a more than welcome win for the Oilers as they had lost three in a row at home and a nine-game loss-win pattern overall.

Both teams had power plays early in the first less than a minute apart. It was the Sharks who were productive on special teams though, with a shot on goal shorthanded and their sixth straight game with a power play goal. Burns passed cross ice between two defenders to Kevin Labanc, who from goalie Cam Talbot’s left, shot at Talbot while Joe Pavelski, on Talbot’s right, sent Labanc’s rebound past the goalie at 6:15.

The second half of the first produced better results for Edmonton after a delay of game penalty to Tomas Hertl, which was not called right away. Two seconds after their power play expired, Mark Letestu scored at 14:42, after Draisaitl faked a shot and Oscar Klefbom provided the second assist.   

The Oilers then took the lead with just over a minute left in the period. A wide open far side Strome scored at 18:51, aided by Draisaitl and Jujhar Khaira.

In the second, Jones made three saves in less than a minute which included Connor McDavid as part of a 2-on-1 followed by a shot from McDavid. However, less than a minute after the latter save, Nugent-Hopkins moved Drake Caggiula’s shot in at 13:24, Maroon with the second helper.

San Jose halted the scoring beginning in the opposite end with Burns. He passed to Labanc and Hertl received Labanc’s pass in the neutral zone. Timo Meier blocked Talbot while Meier was in between two defenders as Hertl scored at 8:32 to make it 3-2.

Tripping caused the puck to switch sides quickly as the Sharks’ second power play was cut short when Pavelski was called for the penalty.  Within less time than before though, San Jose went on a now 4-on-3 power play as Strome committed the same offense.

Back-and-forth scoring continued in the third as not long after Tim Heed hit the goalpost, Maroon responded with a goal to pull Edmonton further ahead again. He was assisted by Nugent-Hopkins at 8:32.

Marcus Sorensen took the Sharks’ turn back with his second in as many games, a wraparound goal at 11:58 to make it 4-3. He was aided by Justin Braun and Melker Karlsson.   

Strome notched the 5-3 goal with an empty netter at 19:52, helped by Matt Benning.

Game notes: Couture, who left San Jose’s last game, is day-to-day with a concussion. The Sharks welcomed back Mikkel Boedker, who skated for 8:17 and had a giveaway and a takeaway. The Oilers also welcomed back Adam Larsson who skated for 21:55, had five hits, four blocks and four giveaways.

Up next: San Jose conclude their three game road trip with a 1-1-1 record and will pick back up with a three game homestand before and after Christmas, starting with the Vancouver Canucks again Thursday at 7:30pm.