Sharks Fall 4-2 to Oilers, Losing Streak at Eight

San Jose Sharks’ Barclay Goodrow (23) looks for an opening against Edmonton Oilers’ goalie Calvin Pickardback right, while under pressure from Max Jones (46), and Matvey Petrov, front right, during second-period NHL hockey game action in Edmonton, Alberta, Friday, April 11, 2025. (Amber Bracken/The Canadian Press via AP)AMBER BRACKEN/AP

By Mary Walsh

The San Jose Sharks fell 4-2 to the Edmonton Oilers on Friday. Evan Bouchard, Ty Emberson, Corey Perry and Connor Brown scored for Edmonton. Connor McDavid had assists on all four goals. Calvin Pickard made 22 saves in the game. The win clinched the Oilers’ position in the playoffs at third in the Pacific Division. Will Smith and Henry Thrun scored for the Sharks. Georgi Romanov made 30 saves. The loss was the eighth in a row for the Sharks.

After the game, Sharks Head Coach Ryan Warsofsky said:

“You would never know we only have 20 wins. I give a lot of credit to our group. We’re competing. Little slow start but we got it going there, had some good chances, good chances to tie it up. I gotta give a lot of credit to the group. They’re continuing to compete. They’re not looking at their record.”

On the other hand, Warsofsky pointed out that the team made some familiar errors, taking too many penalties: “If you put a team on the power play five times, it doesn’t matter if it’s McDavid or anyone else in the League, they’re gonna make you pay. That’s what happened tonight.”

Alexander Wennberg talked about that penalty problem, in particular the stick penalties: “Obviously, some of the calls we kind of disagree with but it’s part of the game as well. Obviously, play a little more to the body, get your sticks together and be more careful.”

Evan Bouchard started the scoring for Edmonton with a power play goal at 6:47 of the first period. After passing back and forth high in the zone with Connor McDavid, Bouchard took the shot from the slot through traffic. McDavid and Adam Henrique got the assists.

Ty Emberson made it 2-0 at 15:41. McDavid sent the puck to the net just as Emberson arrived there for a tip-in. McDavid and Bouchard got the assists.

Will Smith trimmed that lead with a goal at 17:13. Smith dumped the pucj in from the neutral zone sand then followed it in. Nikolai Kovalenko won the puck near the boards and passed it to Smith for a shot through traffic.

The Sharks were badly outshot in the first period, 14-6. The Sharks took two penalties and had one power play at the end of the period.

Henry Thrun tied the game at 5:44 of the second period. He gathered up the puck along the boards and shot it into traffic from a tight angle. It was the defenseman’s second of the season. William Eklund got the assist.

The shots were closer in the second, 12-9 Oilers. The Sharks again took two penalties to the Oilers’ one.

Corey Perry scored the game winner on the power play at 7:32 of the third period. He tipped a Connor McDavid shot that came from the boards. An assist also went to Adam Henrique.

Connor Brown scored on a breakaway into the empty net at 19:34. Assists went to Darnell Nurse and Connor McDavid.

The Sharks next play on Sunday in Calgary against the Flames at 5:00 PM PT.

Sharks Defeat Canucks 4-3, Granlund Scores Highlight Goal

San Jose Sharks center Mikael Granlund (64) is congratulated by defenseman Mike Ferraro (38) and left wing Fabian Zetterlund (20) and defenseman Calen Addison (33) after scoring against the Vancouver Canucks in the third period at SAP Center in San Jose on Sat Nov 25, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Mary Walsh

The San Jose Sharks defeated the Vancouver Canucks 4-3 at SAP Center on Saturday. Ty Emberson, Fabian Zetterlund, Mikael Granlund and Mike Hoffman scored for the Sharks and Kaapo Kahkonen made 32 saves for the win. Filip Hronek and Brock Boeser scored for the Canucks and Casey DeSmith made 18 saves in the loss.

It was the Sharks’ fourth win of the season. After the game, Sharks defenseman Calen Addison said: “Obviously we played a real complete game tonight, I think we should have won last night too. So, obviously it’s huge for our group and a win is huge for confidence.”

The Sharks and their goaltender, Kaapo Kahkonen did not give up a goal at even strength Saturday. With their defense firmed up, their offense took on new life. Sharks Head Coach David Quinn said: “We’re looking different, right? We’re looking more cohesive, we’re playing faster, moving pucks, but, spending time in the o-zone feels good.”

Early in the first, Vancouver’s Sam Lafferty put the puck in the net but the goal was called back for goaltender interference. Lafferty’s skate connected with Kahkonen’s as the goaltender rushed back into the blue paint after playing the puck behind the net. As a result, Kahkonen fell before he could get in position.

After that close call, Ty Emberson scored the first goal of the game at 9:58. His slapshot off a Hertl pass was his first in the NHL and the first goal from a Sharks defenseman this season. Assists went to Hertl and Mike Hoffman.

Filip Hronek tied the game at 15:37 with a power play goal. The Canucks’ fourth-ranked power play held the zone and the puck for the full minute that it took them to score. Hronek’s shot went under Kahkonen off a cross-ice pass. Assists went to J.T. Miller and Quinn Hughes.

Fabian Zetterlund made it 2-1 Sharks at 14:05 of the second period with a slap shot from the top of the faceoff circle. Tomas Hertl found him with a quick pass from below the goal line after carrying the puck behind the net.

Brock Boeser tied it up again with a power play goal in the final seconds of the period. A rebound from Miller’s shot went right to Boeser for a shot over the goaltender. Assists went to Miller and Hronek.

The Sharks took the lead back with their first shot of the third period just 22 seconds in. The teams were skating four-on-four during a penalty carry-over from the second period. Mikael Granlund carried the puck end-to-end, right up the middle of the ice, weaving his way through the Vancouver defense. He made it to the net for a move worthy of a shoot-out. It was his first goal as a Shark. Assists went to Calen Addison and Mario Ferraro.

Mike Hoffman padded the lead with a power play goal at 1:48. The teams were playing four-on-three. Granlund shot the puck to the net for a deflection. The deflection did not work but Hoffman swept it in with a second try. Assists went to Granlund and Addison.

With 3:11 left in the third, the Canucks pulled their goaltender for an extra skater. Brock Boeser was able to score with a quick shot through traffic. Assists went to Miller (his third of the game) and Elias Pettersson.

In the final minutes of the game, Nico Sturm blocked a shot, had some trouble getting off the ice (though he managed a shot at the empty net on his way) and had to go to the dressing room.

The shots were close in the first period, 10-9 Sharks, but tilted to Vancouver thereafter, ending at 34-22 Canucks. The Sharks had just one power play to the Canucks’ four. Their penalty kill went 2/4 against the proficient Vancouver power play.

The Sharks next play on Monday at 7:30 PM PT at home against the visiting Washington Capitals.

Sharks Lead for two periods, Lose in third 3-1 to Capitals

Washington Capitals right wing TJ Oshie (77) tries to skate around San Jose Sharks center Tomas Hertl (48) in the first period at the Capital Center in Washington on Sun Oct 29, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Mary Walsh

The San Jose Sharks lost their final game of this road trip, falling 3-1 to the Washington Capitals. Dylan Strome, Tom Wilson and Evgeny Kuznetsov scored for the Capitals. Darcy Kuemper made 30 saves for the win. Luke Kunin scored for the Sharks, and Mackenzie Blackwood made 39 saves on 41 shots in the loss. This leaves the Sharks still winless after nine games this season.

The Sharks held a 1-0 lead until the third period, and had their second-highest shot count of the season. Still, they lost and were badly out-shot by the Capitals. “Yeah, listen, we’re really snake-bitten. Tonight we actually had chances,” Sharks Head Coach David Quinn said after the game. “Right now we have such a thin margin for error. You know, usually if you only give up two goals, you like your chances.”

Luke Kunin scored that one goal for the Sharks at 11:40 of the first period. He gathered up the puck as it bounced off the back boards and tucked it between the goalie’s skate and the post. Ty Emberson and Mario Ferraro got the assists. The point was Emberson’s first in the NHL.

Dylan Strome tied the game 2:18 into the third period. His shot went through a line of skaters and under Blackwood. Nick Jensen and Hardy Haman Aktell got the assists.

Tom Wilson gave the Capitals the lead at 15:15 of the third. His centering shot bounced off of San Jose’s Kyle Burroughs and into the net. Alexander Ovechkin and John Carlson got the assists.

Evgeny Kuznetsov scored into the empty net to make it 3-1 at 19:02. Ovechkin and Carlson got the assists again.

The Sharks had no power plays but their penalty kill was perfect, killing all three of their penalties. In the face-off circle, the Sharks had their second-worst game of the season, winning just 47.5% of the draws. The shot count was nearly even until the third period, when the Capitals jumped ahead for a 31-42 final count.

The Sharks next play on Thursday in San Jose at 7:30 PM PT against the Vancouver Canucks.