Programming note: Sharks-Oilers coverage starts tonight at 5:30pm with Sharks Pregame Live on CSN California.
Where they stand
Sharks: 36-23-6, 78 points, 3rd Pacific Division
Oilers: 26-35-7, 59 points, 7th Pacific Division
Playoff picture
The Sharks trail the Ducks by five points and the Kings by four points in the Pacific Division, with 17 games remaining for each.
Anaheim and Los Angeles are idle tonight.
The latest
Sharks: Despite getting outshot 48-23 by the Flames, the Sharks won 2-1 in overtime at the Saddledome on Monday night. Martin Jones made a career-high 47 saves, Brent Burns had one goal and one assist (and a fight), and Joe Pavelski tallied the game-winner. San Jose is 4-1-0 in its last five games.
Oilers: Head coach Todd McLellan's Oilers, like the Sharks, have won four of their last five games. They closed out a four-game road trip with a 2-1 win in Winnipeg on Sunday behind goals by Patrick Maroon and Lauri Korpikoski, and are 4-1-1 in their last six overall.
Keep an eye on…
Sharks: Paul Martin. The veteran defenseman isn’t very flashy, but his steady play has helped Brent Burns to thrive on both ends of the ice lately. Martin has been a minus player just once in the last 14 games, and his plus-11 rating is tied for fourth-highest on the team. The 35-year-old, who just had a birthday on March 5, has quietly proven to be a deft pickup by general manager Doug Wilson in the offseason.
Oilers: Connor McDavid. This will be the first time the Sharks see the exhilarating first overall pick from the 2015 draft, as McDavid was injured for the two prior meetings. The 19-year-old has 34 points in 31 games (13g, 21a), and three goals and three assists in his last five. He was named as the NHL’s Rookie of the Month for October and again in February.
Probable lines
Sharks
Tomas Hertl – Joe Thornton – Joe Pavelski
Matt Nieto – Logan Couture – Joel Ward
Nick Spaling – Patrick Marleau – Joonas Donskoi
Dainius Zubrus – Chris Tierney – Melker Karlsson
Marc-Edouard Vlasic – Justin Braun
Paul Martin – Brent Burns
Brenden Dillon – Roman Polak
James Reimer (likely starter)
Martin Jones
Oilers
Lauri Korpikoski – Connor McDavid – Jordan Eberle
Taylor Hall – Leon Draisaitl – Patrick Maroon
Zack Kassian – Mark Letestu – Nail Yakupov
Matt Hendricks – Anton Lander – Adam Cracknell
Andrej Sekera – Mark Fayne
Darnell Nurse – Adam Clendening
Griffin Reinhart – Adam Pardy
Cam Talbot
Laurent Brossoit
Vitals
Sharks
Goals per game: 2.95 (4th)
Goals-against per game: 2.63 (17th)
Power play: 22.0 percent (5th)
Penalty kill: 79.3 percent (23rd)
Oilers
Goals per game: 2.40 (26th)
Goals-against per game: 2.93 (25th)
Power play: 17.0 percent (26th)
Penalty kill: 81.0 percent (17th)
Injuries/Scratches
Sharks: Tommy Wingels (left shoulder sprain) and Matt Tennyson (possible concussion) are out.
Oilers: Oscar Klefbom (broken finger), Andrew Ference (hip), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (hand), Eric Gryba (knee), Benoit Pouliot (shoulder) and Brandon Davidson (undisclosed) are out.
Season series
Each team has garnered three of a possible four points through the first two meetings. Edmonton won at home on Dec. 9, 4-3 in overtime, while the Sharks beat the Oilers 2-1 in a shootout at home on Jan. 14.
The season series concludes on March 24 at SAP Center.
Odds and ends
*Brent Burns has a four-game goal streak, the longest ever by a Sharks defenseman.
*The Sharks are 24-9-3 on the road this season, leading the league in wins. After tonight, they have 12 of their final 16 at SAP Center.
*Oilers goalie Cam Talbot was recently names as the NHL’s First Star of the Week, going 3-0-0 with a .981 save percentage in three games. He has a four-game winning streak.
