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Pre-Scout: Oilers chomped lineup looks for bite against Sharks
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Photo credit: Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images
Michael Menzies
Apr 8, 2026, 11:00 EDT
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On the one hand, the Edmonton Oilers got a point, showing some resilience despite being outshot and outchanced by the Utah Mammoth.
On the other hand, the Oilers squandered three leads, struggled to break out of their zone, and seemed far too loose for a team readying itself for the playoffs. The game was a mixed bag in Game 78 of the season in a 6-5 overtime loss: one built for October or November, not so much in April.
For a team playing shorthanded without Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman, they got depth scoring, but were far too sloppy.
“We obviously gave up too many chances. When you’re trying to score six to win the game, it’s tough to get that done,” said Darnell Nurse post-game, one of the team’s defensive bright spots. “We can definitely up the details in our own zone, especially when you’re playing against a team with firepower like they did.”
After going down 1-0 just 1:53 into the hockey game, Curtis Lazar replied just 11 seconds later to tie it. The Oilers were threatening to chase Karel Vejmelka after Connor McDavid’s beautiful end-to-end rush on the power play, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins ripped the puck blocker-side. Three goals on seven shots in the frame.
But the Oilers holding a multiple-goal lead this season has been anything but automatic. In fact, this is the seventh time this season the Oilers have lost after leading by two goals or more.
Once the Mammoth had climbed back to level 3-3, Vasily Podkolzin replied just 47 seconds later, restoring the lead. The Oilers were closing the second period with a power play and a chance to expand their lead back to two.
The key turning point of the game: Jack Roslovic throws the puck into the slot on the five-on-four. The crisp turnover leads to a rush down the wing for Nick Schmaltz. Evan Bouchard seems to have time to close the gap, but doesn’t get there, and Schmaltz rips it past Jarry’s glove.
A breakdown at multiple levels, on the power play, up by a goal with under a minute left in the second period. It summed up the night, where some Oilers were quite engaged. Others struggled mightily.
“Not being able to hold a lead,” said head coach Kris Knoblauch on the key struggles. “It’s unfortunate. It was nice to see the offence was there, the goals, but just too many chances against.”

Taking the positives

Connor McDavid’s rush goal was sensational, a solo mission to help the power play to help the team’s lacking man advantage, which severely lacks chemistry.
The Oilers third line was terrific. Colton Dach scored in his first game back from injury and was a consistent factor in the game, playing a hair over 14 minutes. Besides Jason Dickinson’s defensive zone gaffe which led to a goal, that line with Trent Frederic tilted the ice for stretches. They outchanced the enemy 6-4 overall, with a 73.12 per cent expected goal percentage at five-on-five.
They looked like a legitimate, effective checking line.
“It felt good to kind of be back with the guys and kind of be back in the locker room and obviously contribute,” said Dach, who scored his fourth of the season, and his first since November 30. Dach also levelled the body, finishing with five hits.
And on cue, the Oilers’ fourth line factored into the team’s first goal for the fourth time in the last five games. Lazar finished on a nice move from Adam Henrique for his fourth of the season.
They would struggle with the Mammoth’s speed afterwards, but for a team that was getting basement level production from the bottom-six for the majority of the season, they are getting it at the most crucial time.
In the end, the Oilers point, plus Vegas’ win over Vancouver, keeps Edmonton in first place in the Pacific Division in a tie with their Nevada rivals. The Ducks got shellacked at home 5-0.

Don’t jump the shark

Many have asked the question: if the shark is killed in the first Jaws movie, then what shark is terrorizing beachgoers in New England in the Jaws sequels? Is it a friend? A cousin? The same shark reanimated in pure Hollywood logic?
That’s a great mystery. Along the same lines, reports of these San Jose Sharks being dead in the water have proven premature.
Macklin Celebrini and the Sharks’ depth chompers produced a 5-2-2 record out of the Olympic break. But a poorly timed six-game winless streak made a playoff berth seem unlikely. They just weren’t ready yet.
*Da duh…da duh…da duh da duh da duh da duh da duh daaaaa duuuh*
Just when you thought it was safe to go in the water, San Jose has won five of their last six games, trapping opponents in the Shark Tank during their homestand. Brothers in rebuild, the Sharks showed they’ve lapped the Blackhawks in returning to contention on Monday night to win 3-2.
William Eklund has had an up-and-down season, but his goal and assist were crucial in the victory.
“I like to play when it matters most to be honest. I want to play that hockey. It’s the most fun hockey. I just want to help this team win,” said the 2021 seventh overall pick, who has five points in his last three games.
Another forward elevating their game is Eklund’s linemate, Alexander Wennberg, who is quietly having arguably his best season as a pro with 18 goals and 53 points. He’s riding a career-long seven-game point streak.
Solidifying the second line is Kiefer Sherwood, who scored a goal and an assist in the last matchup vs the Sharks on March 17. He snapped a nine-game goalless drought Monday.
These contributions take some of the weight off of 19-year-old teammate Celebrini’s shoulders in pursuit of their first post-season since 2018-19.
With Nashville’s defiant win over Anaheim, San Jose is three points back of the last wildcard, but have the games in hand. They begin a stretch of six games in nine nights with fate in their hands.

Notes:

  • Already over the century mark with the fourth-most points in a single-season by a teenager with 107, Celebrini will get strong consideration for the Hart Trophy. Only Wayne Gretzky and Sidney Crosby won league MVP as a teen. Heading into the week, Celebrini factored in on 46.3 per cent of Sharks goals, which would be an NHL record for his age. Only McDavid has a higher percentage at 47.5 per cent this season.
  • Celebrini could also break the franchise record for points in a season, set by Joe Thornton in 2006-07 with 114 points.
  • Alexander Nedeljkovic has won three straight starts, making 29 saves vs the Blackhawks. With Yaroslav Askarov allowing five goals in a pivotal loss on Saturday to Nashville, does coach Ryan Warsofsky ride Ned?
  • There are rumours that Ryan Reaves is done for the season. He is officially listed as week-to-week with a hand injury.
  • Adam Gaudette and Pavol Regenda were two of the best Sharks forwards in the last game against the Oilers. Neither was in the lineup Monday. Regenda hasn’t played since March 24.
  • Two of Michael Misa’s seven goals this season are against the Oilers.
  • Vincent Desharnais is logging big minutes lately. In fact, the former Oiler blueliner played a career high 24:11 of ice-time vs the Blackhawks.
  • It was a tough result for Matt Savoie on Tuesday, who was a victim to a tough call in overtime after bobbling a puck on the opening shift of overtime. A hard lesson for the rookie, and you hope he learns from a bit of bad luck, and a bit of panic in OT.
  • Connor Ingram is sure to start, with a career record of 4-1-1 against the Sharks in his career.
  • Although McDavid’s PP goal was slick, it was more individual effort than a true power play. The Oilers have a minus-three in the special teams battle since Draisaitl’s departure, losing it 2-1 last night. Minus Hyman, they are missing 42 per cent of their power plays from the lineup.
  • This season, the Oilers are 8-9-4 without Hyman.
  • Does Knoblauch change the second of Roslovic-Nugent-Hopkins-Kapanen? That line was worked to the tune of a 14-1 scoring chance advantage for the Mammoth when that trio was on the ice.
  • McDavid stays in the lead for the Art Ross Trophy. His 128 points is one better than Nikita Kucherov. He’s now in the top-50 of NHL scoring all-time with 1210 points, on the better side of a tie with Bobby Clarke.
  • The Oilers are 2-1 against the Sharks this season, most recently with a 5-3 victory on March 17.
Michael Menzies is an Oilersnation columnist and co-host of PreGaming and Oilersnation After Dark. He’s also been the play-by-play voice of the Bonnyville Pontiacs in the AJHL since 2019. With seven years of news experience as the Editor-at-Large of Lakeland Connect in Bonnyville, Menzies collects vinyl, books, and stomach issues. Follow him on X at Menzies_4. 

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