The Edmonton Oilers won their third in a row, toppling the Sharks 5-0 Thursday night in San Jose.
“I think the guys were very focused, ready to play,” Oilers Head Coach Kris Knoblauch said after the game. “Obviously the break is nice and everyone enjoyed it, but obviously they know there’s work to be done. San Jose hasn’t been playing their best, but we weren’t taking anything for granted and we came ready to play.”
Stuart Skinner made 25 saves for his second shutout of the season.
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“It was a good game,” Skinner said. “Felt good in there. I think San Jose . . . I thought they were really good in the offensive zone. I think we also did a great job being able to get some blocks in and the penalty kill was huge again.”
The Oilers took control early when Ryan McLeod beat Magnus Chrona with a wrister exactly one minute into the game. Zach Hyman chipped in a pass from Connor McDavid for his 20th of the season. Evan Bouchard fired a bomb past a screened Chrona to make it 3-0, then Leon Draisaitl tallied his 15th late in the first.
Chrona, who was making his first NHL start, was replaced by Kaapo Kahkonen to the start the second after allowing four goals on eleven shots.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored on a deflection for the only goal of the second period.
Skinner preserved the shutout with a glove save on Mike Hoffman on a Sharks power play late in the third.
McLeod has four goals in his last three games.
The Oilers, 16-15-1, will visit the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday (630 CHED, Face-off Show at 6:30 p.m., game at 8 p.m.).
