Instant Replay: Sharks Slip Up Vs Oilers, Six-game Win Streak Snapped

BOX SCORE

SAN JOSE – After successfully grinding out what was arguably the toughest part of their schedule, the Sharks' momentum was halted by the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night at SAP Center.
 
Andrej Sekera scored twice in a 4-1 Oilers win, snapping the Sharks' six-game winning streak in the final game before the All-Star break. Edmonton pulled into a first place tie with San Jose with a 7-0-1 record in its last eight, although the Sharks have a game in hand.
 
Trailing 1-0 early, the Oilers scored a goal in each of the first two periods to claim a 2-1 lead. Both came from Sekera.
 
With time winding down in the opening frame, the defenseman found a loose puck in the slot and smacked it towards the net. It deflected off of defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic and past Martin Jones at 19:54.
 
Despite not getting a single shot on goal for the first 13-plus minutes of the second period, Edmonton took its first lead on a power play. Sekera's point shot had eyes through traffic and kissed the back of the net at 17:09.
 
The Sharks had a prime opportunity to tie it early in the third, when Adam Larsson was called for a double-minor for high sticking Joe Thornton in the first minute. The Sharks' coaching staff drastically altered its normal power play units, but they couldn't get the equalizer.
 
Instead, Drake Caggiula increased the Oilers' cushion to two goals later in the final frame. He chipped the puck past Paul Martin at the far blue line, raced ahead, and whipped in a wrist shot at 11:31 to make it a 3-1 score.
 
Connor McDavid added an empty net goal, and with two points, has a league-leading 59 this season.
 
Edmonton won in regulation for just the second time in its last 11 games against San Jose.
 
San Jose welcomed Tomas Hertl back into the lineup after he missed the last 32 games with a right knee sprain that required surgery. Hertl skated on the top line left wing with Thornton and Joe Pavelski, rather than as third line center.
 
The Sharks scored first for the seventh straight game. It came on a perfectly executed rush, when Patrick Marleau dropped it to Mikkel Boedker who spotted an open Logan Couture. The centerman flung in a wrist shot at 4:05 for this 17th of the season. 
 
The Sharks fell to 2-1-0 against Edmonton this season. The teams don't see each other again until March 30 at Rogers Place, and April 6 at SAP Center.
 
Special teams 
 
The Sharks finished 0-for-4 on the power play, and are 1-for-10 against Edmonton in the three head-to-head meetings.
 
The Oilers, who came in with the league's fourth-ranked road power play, were 1-for-2.
 
In goal
 
Jones was back in net after Aaron Dell notched the win in Winnipeg on Tuesday. Making his 42nd start in the first 50 games of the season, Jones allowed three goals on 20 shots and fell to 2-6-0 this season when returning to the net after sitting out the previous night.
 
Cam Talbot, the only goalie who has played more than Jones this season, improved to 26-12-7 on the season with 32 saves.
 
Lineup
 
Couture increased his point streak to five games (3g, 3a).
 
The Sharks reassigned forward Barclay Goodrow to the Barracuda on Thursday morning after activating Hertl from injured reserve.
 
Up next
 
The Sharks continue their schedule after the All-Star break on Tuesday at home against Chicago. The teams have split their first two meetings, with each defending its home ice.