Oilers blank Sharks in Kane's return to San Jose

SAN JOSE -- Stuart Skinner made 20 saves for his first NHL shutout when the Edmonton Oilers defeated the San Jose Sharks 3-0 in Evander Kane's return to SAP Center on Monday.

"It was pretty special," Skinner said. "To say that I got an NHL shutout is something cool and something that you dream of as a kid. Definitely a really special moment and I'm really grateful for it."
Kane, who signed a one-year contract with Edmonton on Jan. 27, returned to San Jose for the first time since his previous contract was terminated by the Sharks on Jan. 9 after they said Kane breached his NHL standard player contract and for violation of COVID-19 protocol while assigned to the American Hockey League.
The forward had four shots on goal in 18:51. Kane has scored four points (two goals, two assists) in seven games with the Oilers.
"I thought he was a big factor in the game tonight," Edmonton coach Jay Woodcroft said. "When I talked to Evander yesterday, he told me how much he just wanted to get the two points in the bank for the Edmonton Oilers and how that took precedent over everything else. ... I'm extremely impressed with him as an individual. I think he's a good hockey player and he makes us a better team with him in the lineup."

Connor McDavid, Darnell Nurse and Warren Foegele scored for the Oilers (25-18-3), who will play at the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday. They are 2-0-0 since Woodcroft replaced Dave Tippett as coach Thursday.
"I thought we played a full 60 minutes," Woodcroft said. "There were times when the other team had some chances, but we really, really liked the commitment to the defensive side of the puck, the commitment to working back to our end. It was impressive to see those players put in the work they put in."
James Reimer made 38 saves for the Sharks (22-21-4), who played their first game since Feb. 1 and have lost four in a row.
"I think that you can see there wasn't a lot of sharpness to our game, and that's the worry after being on a break that long," San Jose coach Bob Boughner said. "But you've got to find ways at this time of year and there are no excuses. Those are big points we let go of. I thought through the first two periods, analytically I mean, the chances are 4-2 us. I think they scored on all their chances, which were sifters with tips and traffic, and [then] they got inside us at our net a little bit too early."
"It just wasn't good enough. It's not good enough. You've got to find ways to scrape points together this time of year."

Foegele put the Oilers on top 1-0 at 6:05 of the first period. Nurse's shot from the blue line hit multiple players before Foegele tipped the puck in.
"We had a good start, first five minutes," Sharks captain Logan Couture said. "[If] we get that first goal, I think it changes the complexion of the game."
Nurse scored to make it 2-0 at 7:10 with a shot from above the left face-off circle.
"We haven't played with a lead early in games a lot this season," Nurse said. "But when you find a way to get it and just stick to your game plan, not take the foot off the gas, I think it's huge."
McDavid made it 3-0 at 1:50 of the third period with his 24th goal when Evan Bouchard set him up on a rush for a shot that beat Reimer five-hole.
NOTES: Sharks forward Rudolfs Balcers did not play in the third period after he was injured when hit by the puck late in the second. He will be reevaluated Tuesday, Boughner said. … Skinner required the fewest games (14) needed by an Oilers rookie goalie to get his first shutout, surpassing the previous mark set by Jeff Deslauriers (16th NHL game, 2009-10). ... Skinner (23 years, 105 days) is the fourth-youngest goalie at the time of his first shutout with the Oilers, behind Grant Fuhr (21 years, 93 days), Bill Ranford (22 years, 25 days) and Andy Moog (23 years, 9 days).