McDavid surpasses 150 points, Oilers top Sharks to gain in Pacific race

SAN JOSE -- Connor McDavid surpassed 150 points on the season with two goals and an assist, and the Edmonton Oilers gained ground in the Pacific Division race with a 6-1 win against the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center on Saturday.

The center has 151 points (64 goals, 87 assists) in 80 games, the first player with at least 150 in a season since Mario Lemieux had 161 points for the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1995-96. He is the sixth player to reach the milestone, which has been accomplished 17 times.
"A special player joined an elite group of players in the history of the game," Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft said. "Obviously, what drives him is making sure that the team wins. That's a big reason why we won today."
McDavid got his 150th point and second of the game with a goal to put Edmonton ahead 2-1 at 18:16 of the first period. The Sharks turned the puck over in front of their own net, and Warren Foegele sent a backhand pass to McDavid near the right post for his 63rd goal of the season.

McDavid also scored on a breakaway at 14:36 of the third period for the 6-1 final.
"The guys kind of put a little video together of all the other five guys that have done it," said McDavid, the Edmonton captain. "It kind of hit me. That was special. To hear from all five was amazing."
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a goal and two assists, and Zach Hyman and Derek Ryan each had a goal and an assist for the Oilers (48-23-9), who have won seven straight and extended their point streak to 13 games (12-0-1). Stuart Skinner made 22 saves, and Evan Bouchard had two assists.
Edmonton, which secured home-ice advantage in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs when the Los Angeles Kings lost 4-3 to the Colorado Avalanche later Saturday, moved within two points of the Vegas Golden Knights for first place in the Pacific. Each has two games remaining. Vegas lost 2-1 in the shootout at the Dallas Stars.
"We're playing well," McDavid said. "You never know how high the ceiling is, but that's what makes this game fun. We're playing really well. We're putting wins together. That's all you can ask for this time of year."
Tomas Hertl scored, and James Reimer made 29 saves for the Sharks (22-41-16).
"I thought for certain periods in the game we were good, and then for long stretches they controlled it," San Jose captain Logan Couture said. "They have some special players over there who made some plays tonight."
Nugent-Hopkins gave Edmonton a 1-0 lead at 5:46 of the first by scoring at the right post after Reimer stopped McDavid on a drive to the net.

Hertl tied it 1-1 at 7:03. Oilers defenseman Jason Demers lost the puck behind his own net, and Jacob Peterson fed Hertl in front.
After McDavid's first goal, Hyman put Edmonton up 3-1 at 10:05 of the second period when his backhanded shot bounced off Reimer's skate and trickled into the net.
Ryan made it 4-1 with a short-handed goal at 19:53. Erik Karlsson turned the puck over in the Sharks' offensive zone, and Ryan scored on a give-and-go with Nugent-Hopkins.
"That [third] goal and then the short-handed goal that made it 4-1 really demoralizes you," Sharks coach David Quinn said, "because I thought up to that point we were competing and giving ourselves a chance."
Philip Broberg extended the lead to 5-1 at 9:48 of the third with his first goal of the season in his 45th game.
NOTES: San Jose defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic left the game in the first period with a lower-body injury. Quinn did not have an update. … Demers played his 700th NHL game and first since May 7, 2021, finishing with three hits and three blocked shots in 10:44 of ice time. He was a late addition to the lineup after defenseman Cody Ceci left the Oilers' road trip for the birth of his first child. Demers was called up from Bakersfield of the American Hockey League on Thursday. … Each team used 11 forwards and seven defensemen.