Oilers snap Sharks' winning streak at 11 (AP)
By GREG BEACHAM, AP Sports Writer 17 minutes ago
SAN JOSE, Calif. - Dwayne Roloson made 48 saves and stopped three more shots in the shootout, carrying the Edmonton Oilers to a 2-1 win Sunday night and snapping the San Jose Sharks' 11-game winning streak.
Ales Hemsky scored in regulation and Fernando Pisani got the decisive shootout goal for the Oilers, who won for the fifth time in six games thanks to Roloson. The backup goalie, who memorably led Edmonton past San Jose in the 2006 playoffs, was impeccable while winning his second start in two days after six weeks of mop-up duty behind Mathieu Garon.
Robert Nilsson also scored in the shootout for Edmonton, while Patrick Marleau managed the Sharks' only goal in four tries. San Jose, which hadn't lost since Feb. 20 during the longest winning streak in franchise history, couldn't get anything past Roloson after Joe Pavelski's first-period goal during a two-man advantage.
Evgeni Nabokov stopped 21 shots for the Sharks, and Joe Thornton picked up his NHL-leading 65th assist on Pavelski's goal. San Jose, which has the NHL's second-best record, still is six points shy of clinching a playoff berth after launching a season-high 49 shots at Roloson.
After scoring four first-period goals against St. Louis on Friday, San Jose dominated the opening minutes yet again. Pavelski got the Sharks' goal late in the first period, banging home a slap shot with two seconds left on a 5-on-3 power play.
The Sharks had 32 shots midway through the game, but they committed their first two penalties simultaneously late in the second period. After Jody Shelley followed Craig Rivet into the box by committing a foolish roughing penalty, Hemsky scored his career-best 20th goal with a shot through traffic.
Edmonton largely controlled the second half of regulation, and the Oilers killed three penalties in the final minutes of the third period. Roloson even got a delay-of-game penalty with 1:29 left for playing the puck illegally, but the Oilers killed it off, including the 4-on-3 to start overtime.
Thornton established the Sharks' new season high with his 48th shot on a 2-on-0 breakaway in overtime, but Roloson deflected it with his blocker. When Roloson made a glove save on defenseman Brian Campbell's unobstructed shot with 41 seconds left in overtime, Campbell flipped his stick away in disgust, like a golfer infuriated by his 9-iron.
The Sharks' streak began in Philadelphia on Feb. 21, when they got the first of five consecutive road wins to end an eight-game trip. San Jose then won three home games and picked up three more road victories, adding to the NHL's best road record at 25-8-3.
The streak propelled the Sharks to the No. 2 overall spot in the league standings, past East-leading New Jersey and behind only the Detroit Red Wings. San Jose also shot past Pacific Division rivals Anaheim and Dallas, who had led the competitive three-team race for most of the season.
The Sharks are just three points ahead of the Ducks, who visit San Jose on Friday, and four in front of the Stars with games in hand on both foes. San Jose meets each of its four division opponents twice in the season's final 10 games, including three games against NHL-worst Los Angeles.
Notes:@ Sharks D Matt Carle was a healthy scratch for the seventh straight game. Former All-Star D Sandis Ozolinsh has been a healthy scratch for every game in the past month. ... Edmonton LW Geoff Sanderson missed his sixth straight game with a back injury. ... Edmonton opens a four-game homestand against Phoenix on Tuesday.
