Short Handed Advantage
Connor McDavid celebrates his first career playoff goal that gave the Edmonton Oilers a 2-0 win over the San Jose Sharks
The Edmonton Oilers have evened their series with the San Jose Sharks at a game apiece with a 2-0 with at Rogers Arena Friday Night in Edmonton. For the Oilers, it was their first playoff win since the 2006 Stanley Cup Finals. The Oilers got a strong defensive effort limiting the Sharks to just 16 shots on goal. Goalie Cam Talbot stopped all 16 shots to earn his first career playoff win and shutout.
The young Oilers though continued to commit too many penalties as they were shorthanded six times, like they were when they saw an early 2-0 lead melt away in Game 1, which they lost in overtime 3-2. This time however, the power play turned into a disadvantage for the Sharks, as both Oilers goals came on shorthanded opportunities.
The first goal came 42 seconds into the second period, when Joe Pavelski mishandled a puck inside the blue line, which Mark Letestu picked off and passed it to Zack Kassian who whipped it past Goalie Martin Jones on the breakaway. In the third period Edmonton, added a second shorthanded goal, as Connor McDavid the NHL’s scoring champion wristed one past Jones at 10:31 of the third period. It was the first career playoff goal for McDavid who is the favorite to win the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP.
The series shifts to San Jose for the next two games, as the Sharks are hoping to get Joe Thornton back for Game 3. Thornton who has missed five straight games is key to their power play and offensive attack. It appears he is close to returning as he took part in the morning skate.
Frank Fleming is the creator of the Sportsecyclopedia.com
