It’s the final game of the season for the San Jose Sharks and it’s against the Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers are bound for the postseason, destined for a meeting with the Los Angeles Kings. The matchup is set with the Kings gaining home ice advantage. Just the same, the Oilers aren’t taking tonight’s game lightly. As Edmonton goaltender Stuart Skinner told our own Annie Moore, this is a way for the team to start the playoffs on the right note.
“It’s another opportunity for us to just go out there and play our game, find some more chemistry within the group with each other, just, you know, one last moment for us to really kick things in before the real season starts,” said Skinner.
The Oilers, like almost all of the teams headed into the postseason, have had ups and downs this season. For Edmonton, this time of year means managing emotions and playing on an even keel.
“There’s moments in this season, especially in the playoffs, where you think everything’s amazing, you’re gonna win the cup, no problem, and life is good, and then the next two days later, you think the world’s crumbling,” said Skinner. “So it’s just that roller coaster of emotions that you got to really… feel them and go through them at the time, but at the same time you got to be able to get off it really quickly and get back to level ground.”
Skinner himself is recovering from an injury. On March 26, Mikko Rantanen’s knee collided with Skinner’s head, causing the goaltender to miss several games. Skinner is expected to start in the net tonight for the Oilers in just his second game back since the injury.
“At the time that it obviously sucks, but you can look at it, you know, one way or the other. I’m trying to look at it in the way of do the best thing for me … spend some time with the family. Really healed my mind,” said Skinner this morning.
The last time these two teams played was on Friday when the Oilers beat the Sharks by a score of 4-2.
Darnell Nurse will not be in the lineup. This is his one game suspension for cross checking the Los Angeles Kings’ Quentin Byfield into the ice. Nurse will be back for the first game of the series against the Kings.
Here’s what NHL.com reports the lines will look like tonight for the Sharks.
ForwardsTyler Toffoli — Macklin Celebrini — Will SmithWilliam Eklund — Alexander Wennberg — Cam LundNikolai Kovalenko — Ty Dellandrea — Danil Gushchin
Carl Grundstrom — Barclay Goodrow — Noah Gregor
DefenseHenry Thrun — Timothy LiljegrenLucas Carlsson — Jan Rutta
Marc-Edouard Vlasic — Jimmy Schuldt
GoaltendersAlexandar Georgiev
Georgi Romanov
As for the Oilers, NHL.com has the lineup with 19 skaters tonight because of the Nurse suspension. That means that there will only be five defensemen to share the load.
ForwardsJeff Skinner — Connor McDavid — Connor BrownVasily Podkolzin — Ryan Nugent-Hopkins — Viktor ArvidssonCorey Perry –Adam Henrique — Kasperi Kapanen
Max Jones — Mattias Janmark — Quinn Hutson
Defense
Cam Dineen — Evan BouchardBrett Kulak — Ty Emberson
Joshua Brown
GoaltendersStuart Skinner
Calvin Pickard
Sharks fans can see the game on NBC Sports California or listen on the Sharks Audio Network.
Oilers fans can watch the game on SNW, SNO or SNE.
The puck drops at 7:30 p.m. PT/8:30 p.m. MT at SAP Center.
