By Canadian Press

Oilers bite Sharks 9-2, McDavid earns 100th assist

Apr 15, 2024 | 10:17 PM

EDMONTON — Warren Foegele had two goals and Adam Henrique and Dylan Holloway each had a goal and two assists as the Edmonton Oilers closed out the home portion of their regular-season schedule with some panache, squashing the San Jose Sharks 9-2 on Monday.

Connor McDavid had a goal and added his 100th assist of the season, while Corey Perry, Cody Ceci, Evan Bouchard and Zach Hyman all scored for the Oilers (49-25-6) who snapped a two-game losing streak. Edmonton has gone 11-1-2 in its last 14 home games.

Danil Gushkin and Fabian Zetterlund replied for the Sharks (19-53-9) who have lost four of their last five.

McDavid made an instant impact in his return from injury, scoring his 32nd just 53 seconds into the opening period on the game’s first shot as he turned on the jets and then banked a passing attempt off of defender Marc-Edouard Vlasic and past San Jose goalie Devin Cooley.

Edmonton took a 2-0 lead four minutes into the first period as the rebound from a Brett Kulak shot came out front to Henrique and he netted his 24th of the season and sixth as an Oiler.

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The Oilers kept their foot on the gas with another goal coming midway through the first when Foegele elected to shoot on a two-on-one and recorded his career-high 18th of the campaign.

Henrique picked up his second point of the period with 25 seconds left in the first as he fed it in front to Holloway who redirected it through Cooley’s legs for his fifth.

The Sharks got on the board two minutes into the middle frame as Gushkin somehow snuck a backhand shot between Oilers starter Stuart Skinner and the post for his first of the season and second goal in five career NHL appearances.

Edmonton got that back less than three minutes later as Foegele made a diving lunge to poke in a loose puck that was lying in the crease for his second of the contest.

Bouchard made a perfect pass to Perry at the side of the net to give the veteran forward his 12th of the year. With the assist Bouchard became just the second defenceman in Edmonton franchise history to hit the 80-point mark.

Edmonton made it 7-1 with seven minutes left in the second period as Henrique passed it ahead to a hard-driving Ceci and he deflected in his fifth.

Just 31 seconds later the Oilers added yet another goal as Perry elected to dish it to Bouchard on a two-on one and the young Oilers blueliner notched his 18th.

Georgi Romanov came into the Sharks net to make his NHL debut, replacing Cooley, who allowed eight goals on 22 shots.

The moment that fans had been waiting for came with 4:25 to play in the second period as McDavid sent it to Hyman at the side of the net for an easy tap-in and his 54th of the season. It was McDavid’s 100th assist, making him just the fourth player in NHL history to hit the milestone behind Wayne Gretzky (11 times), Mario Lemieux and Bobby Orr.

Edmonton seemed to back off somewhat for the third and the Sharks got one back as a result as Zetterlund swatted in his 23rd during a mad scramble in front with 4:25 to play.

NOTES

It was the third and final meeting between the two teams. The Sharks won the first game 3-2 on Nov. 9, leading to the dismissal of Edmonton head coach Jay Woodcroft. The Oilers won the second game 5-0 on Dec. 28. … Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch has compiled a 46-16-5 record since he took over. … McDavid returned after missing the last three games with a lower-body injury. … Oilers forward Evander Kane missed the game with an undisclosed injury. … Among those out for the Sharks were Alexander Barbanov (lower-body injury), Jacob MacDonald (undisclosed) and Filip Zadina (lower-body injury). … Edmonton is expected to finish second in the Pacific Division and will have home ice to start the playoffs. The Sharks have officially finished last in the NHL.

UP NEXT

Sharks: Visit the Calgary Flames on Thursday.

Oilers: Visit the Arizona Coyotes on Wednesday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 15, 2024.

Shane Jones, The Canadian Press