Too late to save Woodcroft, but Oilers find redemption in San Jose

Published Dec 28, 2023 • Last updated 2 hours ago • 3 minute read

Evan Bouchard #2 of the Edmonton Oilers is congratulated by Mattias Ekholm #14 after Bouchard scored a goal against the San Jose Sharks during the first period at SAP Center on December 28, 2023 in San Jose, California. Photo by Thearon W. Henderson /Getty Images

You could almost hear Jay Woodcroft rolling his eyes from home.

‘NOW, they decide to pistol-whip the worst team in the league? Where was this team when my butt was on the line?’

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Unfortunately for Edmonton’s former coach, the Oilers finding redemption after November’s ill-fated trip to San Jose came too late to save his job, but it’s not too late to save the season.

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So, returning to the scene of their most humiliating defeat in years and turning the water in the Shark Tank red with revenge is exactly what the visitors needed.

The 5-0 clubbing makes it three wins in a row for the 16-15-1 Oilers, who picked up where they left off after closing out the pre-Christmas schedule with back-to-back wins over New Jersey and New York.

They moved to within five points, with three games in hand, on the final wildcard spot in the Western Conference, with a dominant performance that left zero room for doubt.

“It was big for us to come out of the gate after the break and get a big win,” said defenceman Darnell Nurse, admitting Edmonton’s last visit to San Jose was still ringing in their ears.

“And this is a big trip for us, so all those things kind of play a factor in the mindset going into the game and it contributed to our start. For us to come out and put four on the board in the first period set the tone for the rest of the game.”

This is what the Oilers are supposed to do against a brutal bottom-feeder:

Take charge early (Ryan McLeod makes it 1-0 on their second shot of the game).

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Don’t let up (Zach Hyman makes it 2-0 at 10:15).

Pull away for good (Evan Bouchard makes it 3-0 at 14:55).

Break their will (Leon Draisaitl makes it 4-0 at 17:32).

Pile on (Ryan Nugent-Hopkins makes it 5-0 midway through the second period).

And don’t give the losers a sniff (Stuart Skinner posted a 26-save shutout).

The first-period outburst took a lot of pressure off of Skinner, who improved to 9-2 in the last 11 starts.

“It gave me a lot of confidence, it’s always nice getting that early lead,” he said. “We were rolling around their end for a good five minutes straight and that’s a huge credit to the guys, being ready right off the bat. That can be hard coming off the Christmas break.”

This was a dramatic improvement from their Nov. 9 game in the Shark Tank, a humiliating defeat to the last-place team in the NHL that left Edmonton with a 2-9-1 record and started the clock ticking on Woodcroft’s last 48 hours as Oilers coach.

“The guys were very focused and ready to play,” said Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch. “The break was very nice and everyone enjoyed it, but they know there is work to be done.

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“San Jose hasn’t been playing its best, but we weren’t taking anything for granted and came ready to play.”

The Sharks are still in last place and were just as ripe for the picking this time around. They came in on a six-game losing streak, having managed just 10 goals in that span, and were playing the second of back-to-back games.

Oh, and their goalie, 23-year-old Magnus Chrona, was making his first ever NHL start. His only other NHL experience was 30 minutes of relief work nearly two months ago in which he got shelled for four goals on 17 shots.

So there was no reason for this game not to be over by the end of the national anthems. And that’s pretty much how it went, with the Oilers wrapping things up by the first intermission and Chrona done for the night, left to sit on the bench and wonder what hit him (or, rather, what didn’t hit him).

• McLeod, a barren wasteland offensively for the first 29 games of the season, is now the hot hand. His goal at 1:00 was his fourth in the last three games.

• Nobody is hotter than Zach Hyman, though. His 20th of the season to make it 2-0 is his 16th goal in his last 19 games.

• Dylan Holloway, who’s been out with an injury since Nov. 13, is skating with the team and will be ready to play when the Oilers get home from their three-game California trip.

• Next up: A massive showdown with the rival Los Angeles Kings on Saturday.

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