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The Edmonton Oilers overcame the absence of star centre Leon Draisaitl to claim a 5-3 home victory over the San Jose Sharks. Adam Henrique chipped in with two assists as the club spread the scoring across its forward group, while goals came from Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Connor Murphy, Vasily Podkolzin, Max Jones and Zach Hyman. The result underscored a shift toward a balanced attack — an offence by committee approach that became necessary after Edmonton learned Draisaitl would miss the remainder of the regular season with a lower-body injury.
Edmonton improved to 34-26-9 with the win and moved temporarily into a tie with Anaheim atop the Pacific Division, recording a strong start to March at 5-2-1. San Jose fell to 32-28-6, enduring its second straight loss and dropping five of seven. The injury to Draisaitl came after he left the first period of a 3-1 win over Nashville following a hit into the boards by Predators forward Ozzy Wiesblatt, and the team announced he is expected to miss the remainder of the regular season.
How the game unfolded
The scoring was a back-and-forth affair as both clubs traded goals early and midgame before Edmonton established separation in the third. The Oilers’ five goals were produced by a mix of established scorers and secondary contributors, reflecting a deliberate effort to spread offensive responsibility. San Jose replies came from Dmitry Orlov, Pavol Regenda and Kiefer Sherwood. Goaltending was busy on both ends: Edmonton starter Connor Ingram finished with 27 saves, while San Jose’s Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 32 shots. The physical and tactical play opened space for opportunistic finishes and rebounds that ultimately decided the contest.
Key moment: Hyman’s decisive rebound
With just under 12 minutes remaining in the third period, Zach Hyman latched onto a loose puck in front of the net and converted on a low backhand while falling to his knees, giving Edmonton a 5-3 advantage. That goal—Hyman’s 29th of the season in his 50th game—served as the game-winner and illustrated how second-chance opportunities and aggressive net-front play factored into the final margin. The sequence highlighted Edmonton’s ability to finish chances in traffic, an attribute they leaned on after losing their top-line centre.
Standout individual contributions
Adam Henrique provided two assists, playing a pivotal role in connecting lines and creating scoring chances. On the backend, Evan Bouchard added an assist, extending impressive personal numbers against San Jose—he has recorded 26 points and a plus-22 rating across 18 career games vs the Sharks and has compiled 32 points in his last 21 games overall. The distribution of points among Edmonton’s forwards underlined a collective response to adversity, as several players elevated their play to compensate for Draisaitl’s absence.
Macklin Celebrini’s streak ends
For San Jose, teenage forward Macklin Celebrini was held without a point, snapping a nine-game point streak during which he collected 14 points. He remains within striking distance of a significant milestone, trailing by five points from becoming one of the few teenagers in NHL history to reach 100 points. Celebrini’s temporary silence was a notable factor for the Sharks’ offence, which struggled to sustain pressure in key stretches.
Goaltending, defence and implications
Edmonton’s victory also reinforced a home-ice advantage: the team has now posted nine consecutive home wins over San Jose. The defensive pairing contributed offensively as well—Connor Murphy not only scored but displayed physical reliability, and veteran presence helped stabilize minutes without Draisaitl in the lineup. San Jose’s goals by Orlov, Regenda and Sherwood kept the game competitive, but Edmonton’s balanced scoring and decisive plays in high-danger areas made the difference.
What’s next
Both clubs turn their attention quickly to midweek matchups: the Sharks are scheduled to host the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday, while the Oilers will welcome the Florida Panthers on the same night. For Edmonton, maintaining depth scoring and defensive steadiness will be essential as the lineup adjusts to life without Draisaitl for the remainder of the regular season. San Jose will aim to regain offensive consistency and resume production from emerging young pieces.