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Pre-Scout: Skidding Sharks host Oilers to wrap-up Pacific roadtrip
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Photo credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images
Michael Menzies
Feb 28, 2026, 13:00 ESTUpdated: Feb 28, 2026, 12:57 EST
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The Edmonton Oilers look to close out their three-game road trip with a matinee victory at the Shark Tank after a resounding demolition of the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday. 
Connor McDavid and company had Darcy Kuemper and Anton Forsberg spinning in their crease in the 8-1 win, and have scored 13 goals in just two games on this divisional roadtrip. 
For the Sharks, it’s been an exciting season with renewed optimism as Macklin Celebrini has risen to become one of the NHL’s true premier players. 
But previous glimmers of making the playoffs aren’t twinkling so bright right now. After a 4-1 loss to the Calgary Flames on Thursday, the team’s first game back from the Olympic break, it’s five straight losses for San Jose. That’s a streak that began with a 4-3 overtime loss to Edmonton back on January 29.  
Coach Ryan Warsofsky bemoaned his team’s turnovers, as SJ held a 1-0 lead into the latter stages of the second period. 
“Just play more on the inside. The way we scored the goal is the way we need to play,” said Warsofsky.
Following the loss, the Sharks sit five points back of the Seattle Kraken for the last wildcard spot in the Western Conference, with two teams ahead of them still to leapfrog. With games in hand, yes, the task is far from impossible, but San Jose is facing a crunch-time test like the franchise hasn’t had since pre-pandemic. 
What bodes well for them is this six-game homestand to start the push towards the playoffs that will test their mettle.

Pacific dominance

While the Oilers’ overall play has been inconsistent this season, one thing that’s keeping them within striking distance of first in the Pacific is their record within the division. 
Edmonton is winning these four-point games. 
After blowing out the Kings, the Oilers are now 9-4-3 against Pacific opponents. On the road, it’s not as hot with a 3-4-1 mark. Including this game today, the Oilers have 10 divisional games left in their 22 overall, four of those on the road. 
“They’re all like four-point games and we’ve got another one against San Jose coming up,” said Zach Hyman. He continued his torrent goalscoring pace with another powerplay tuck, his 22nd goal in 30 games, which leads all NHLers in that span. 
“It feels like almost over half our games are against our division and it’s pretty tight, so these are important.”
Depth scoring has been dynamite on the trip with Ty Emberson scoring his fifth career NHL goal to begin against the Kings, and Andrew Mangiapane striking home his seventh of the year.
With little rest, a whole team effort is required against the Sharks.

Sherwood like a win

Kiefer Sherwood is back and healthy, twice now donning the Sharks sweater since being acquired from the Vancouver Canucks. The pesky forward has 17 goals on the year and he looks for his first point in San Jose.
He was slotted by Celebrini and Will Smith on the Sharks’ top line against the Flames, a line that will be relentless in pursuit of pucks.
The offence is good enough to hang around, it’s the defence and goaltending that is inexperienced. The Sharks have surrendered 21 goals against on their five game skid, as Yaroslav Askarov plays in his first full season in the league.
Celebrini is fifth in league scoring with 81 points, an absurd mark for a teenager, who also led the Olympics in goals with five. He has a strong case for the Hart Trophy. Does he have another gear?
Look toward a veteran presence like Tyler Toffoli, who scored his 16th goal of the season on Thursday, or a sturdy defender like Mario Ferraro, to be guiding forces for this team down the stretch.

Notes:

  • Connor McDavid registered his ninth 100th point season of his career. Only Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux have more seasons with 100-points. It’s an absurd all-time total amongst the greatest to have ever played.
  • The Sharks need six more wins to surpass their highest win total of the 2020s. The only time the Sharks had 30-plus victories was 2021-22 with 32.
  • Last time, the Sharks hopped out to an early three-goal lead against the Oilers, before the wicked comeback. Will the Sharks sit back if they get a lead again?
  • Colin Graf was one of those three goal scorers. The undrafted product is having a terrific season with 15 goals and 31 points.
  • Matthew Savoie seems rejuvenated. He has one goal and four assists in his last two games. Double-digit goals now achieved for Savoie.
  • It’s coming for Trent Frederic. He’ll snap his 34-game goalless drought soon.
  • The Oilers PK since the break: 6/7. Henrique seems comfortable back in his spot.
  • The Sharks have middling special teams, with a 19.7 per cent powerplay and a 78.7 per cent penalty kill.
  • Edmonton has won seven straight against the Sharks. The last Sharks win vs EDM was on November 9, 2023, the loss that sealed Jay Woodcroft’s fate.
Michael Menzies is an Oilersnation columnist and has been the play-by-play voice of the Bonnyville Pontiacs in the AJHL since 2019. With seven years news experience as the Editor-at-Large of Lakeland Connect in Bonnyville, he also collects vinyl, books, and stomach issues.

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