Oilers score 4 goals in 1st, shut out Sharks

SAN JOSE -- The Edmonton Oilers scored four goals in the first period of a 5-0 win against the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center on Thursday.

"We are getting better," Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said. "If we're not getting better each day, teams are going to be passing us, and we're not in a position to do that. We need to be getting better because we have a lot of teams to pass if we're going to make the playoffs. So, I like where we're going, but there's still a lot of work to do."

Ryan McLeod, Zach Hyman and Evan Bouchard each had a goal and an assist, and Darnell Nurse had two assists for the Oilers (16-15-1), who have won three straight. Stuart Skinner made 25 saves for his second shutout of the season.

"You knew they were going to come out hard," Skinner said. "They also had a game yesterday (San Jose lost 5-1 at the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday). You know these guys know how to score goals. You can see that they lose games every once in a while, but for the most part, they're always getting their goals."

Magnus Chrona, who was making his first NHL start, allowed four goals on 12 shots before being replaced at the start of the second period for the Sharks (9-24-3), who have lost seven straight (outscored 33-10). Kaapo Kahkonen made 17 saves in relief.

"It's not the way we wanted to start for him," San Jose defenseman Kyle Burroughs said of Chrona. "Your first NHL game is supposed to be special, and for us to let him down like that, it's tough."

McLeod put Edmonton ahead 1-0 at 1:00 of the first period. He skated around Sharks forward Anthony Duclair in the high slot before scoring glove side from the left circle.

Hyman scored his 20th of the season to make it 2-0 at 10:15. He tapped in a centering pass from Connor McDavid after San Jose turned the puck over in the neutral zone.

"The start really put some momentum in our favor, and it starts the game with a lot of people feeling confident out there on the ice," Nurse said. "Whenever you have a big start, especially coming off a break, it’s easy to wade yourself into the game and not get out to the start that you want."

Bouchard increased the lead to 3-0 at 14:55 with a one-timer from the left point through traffic. Leon Draisaitl then made it 4-0 at 17:32 from in front after Warren Foegele dug the puck out along the boards.

"We gave them too much in the first," Sharks forward Tomas Hertl said. "We're [playing] on a back-to-back, but that's no excuse. This is a team that can score goals, and it seems like every time we have a great two or three chances, we have nothing and then they go the other way and score a goal."

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins pushed it to 5-0 at 9:07 of the second period when his redirection of Cody Ceci's shot deflected five-hole off the skate of Burroughs.

"There were some good things that went on tonight, but we didn't score a goal and we gave up five," Sharks coach David Quinn said. "You can't be giving up five goals. Their goalie played well, and we had some chances. It wasn't like it was a territorial dominated game by them. They just took advantage of our lapses, and we weren't able to take advantage of theirs."