Shakir Mukhamadullin’s third-period goal lifts Sharks to 5-4 win over Oilers
shakir mukhamadullin scored the go-ahead goal at the 9: 27 mark of the third period, and the San Jose Sharks held on for an entertaining 5-4 victory over the Edmonton Oilers at SAP Center before a sold-out crowd of 17, 435, snapping a five-game losing streak.
Shakir Mukhamadullin finishes rush with 9: 27 third-period strike
Trailing a rush up the ice, Mukhamadullin took a pass from William Eklund and fired a wrist shot past Oilers goalie Connor Ingram for his fourth goal of the season, the decisive play in a game that saw multiple lead changes. The Sharks held from there, killing a late hooking penalty to defenseman Vincent Desharnais to preserve the one-goal margin.
Fast start, late answers from Edmonton
The Sharks jumped to a 3-1 lead after a fast-paced first period. Macklin Celebrini and Michael Misa scored goals 3: 33 apart, with Misa’s goal — his third of the season — giving San Jose a 2-0 lead at the 11: 07 mark of the first. Edmonton answered with Leon Draisaitl’s one-timer, set up by Connor McDavid, at 5: 09 left in the first period, and then pulled within one on an Evan Bouchard tally with 4: 11 left in the second, Bouchard’s 17th goal of the season after a return pass from McDavid.
Alex Wennberg and Barclay Goodrow also scored for the Sharks, and goaltender Yaroslav Askarov finished with 20 saves as San Jose improved to 1-1-0 on their six-game homestand. The Oilers entered the game with one of the NHL’s most potent offenses: Connor McDavid leads the league with 100 points in 60 games, and Edmonton was averaging 3. 52 goals per game.
Lineup changes, reduced minutes and a response
The win followed roster moves meant to shake up a struggling defense. Mukhamadullin was inserted into the lineup in place of Timothy Liljegren, and Pavol Regenda replaced Ryan Reaves on the fourth line. shakir mukhamadullin had been a healthy scratch in the Sharks’ 4-1 loss to the Calgary Flames on Thursday and has appeared in 26 of 56 games this season; his average ice time this year is 16: 15 per game, down from 18: 04 in 30 NHL games last season.
Coach Ryan Warsofsky said he wanted Mukhamadullin to be sharp defensively against an offensive team like Edmonton: “Just play solid hockey, defend with some urgency and some jam. Puck play is critical. (Be) a guy that can help us keep pucks out of the back of our net. Keep taking another step. ”
San Jose’s forecheck and a scramble that left the Oilers vulnerable on several plays produced Goodrow’s goal into a partially open net with 2: 55 remaining in the first, and the Sharks managed to withstand Edmonton’s late pressure after Bouchard’s second-period goal.
The Sharks will remain on their six-game homestand following the victory, having ended a five-game losing streak and improved to 1-1-0 on this stretch of home games.
