Sharks Lose 3-2 to Oilers in Walman’s Return

The San Jose Sharks welcome the Edmonton Oilers into SAP Center.

Jack Thompson and Tyler Toffoli scored, but the Sharks lost 3-2.

Period 1

2 in: Grundstrom rainbows an area pass that Dellandrea can skate into, but turnover when Dellandrea tries to make a play into the slot. You want a guy to make a play, but sometimes, you want simple, direct get a shot on net too.

4 in: Good Romanov save on Draisaitl, looks like Ferraro too aggressive at point, Draisaitl blows through slot and vacated space.

5 in: Celebrini forces a tough slot pass, not close. Celebrini has grown in his puck management in the DZ and NZ, but he can be a lot better with not forcing OZ passes that don’t have much chance. A hold or a dump-in is better from time to time.

Brown goal: Gonna be a long night if you keep letting Oilers get free runs at the slot. San Jose Sharks don’t treat Brown’s speed with enough respect, he cuts through the neutral zone with ease and blows by Carlsson. Walman assist.

Thompson goal: He wires it, good job by Wennberg to find him creeping down.

10 in: Liljegren does enough defensively on Draisaitl to get the MVP candidate to give him a little rabbit punch. Good! You want more of that from Liljegren.

7 left: Did Lund get promoted to second line over Graf? Does good work there, in front when Ferraro shot whistles through. Good shift from Wennberg line, once again Sharks’ best, like they were in Anaheim. Lund skating well, playing simple.

6 left: Smith takes it from Arvidsson along the wall, like. He looks like he has a step tonight. Then down low, runs maybe a little pick for Celebrini, which was something I harped on last game.

3 left: Good shift from Wennberg, you can see he values the puck. Protects it well, usually doesn’t move it unless he’s fairly sure.

1 left: Grundstrom one on one versus Walman, gets a good shot off. Glad to see Grundstrom find his game, though late in the season, he’s got legit ability. On third line and power play tonight. Promising for next season, he’s signed, he can be a regular physical forechecking hard-shooting winger.

San Jose Sharks more than hung tough with the Oil in the first, credit to them. Can they keep it up?

Period 2

With Celebrini, he thinks that he can make any pass, and actually, he can, but he might need to learn that he and the team are more effective if he’s valuing the puck more. QB analogy, force a pass through double coverage, get intercepted? Or wait a beat, keep pushing back the defense, maybe hit an open man with the pass? I know it’s not that simple. Celebrini has a problem that’s unique for a rookie: He plays too fast. Better teammates will help, but so will better decision-making.

Arvidsson goal: Blows it high over Romanov, good puck movement on PP from the Oil.

4 in: Don’t love that guess-looking pass to Thrun into the middle of DZ slot to no one. Lucky to not get punished by Oilers there.

5 in: Another good play by Grundstrom, leads rush attack, drops it for Graf I think, gets it back, bad angle, fires it not to score but big rebound up the middle. Smart, simple hockey.

7 in: Wennberg and Eklund have been excellent recently, good job down low, Eklund almost found Wennberg for the perfect feed.

8 in: Gregor forces a turnover high, pushes back the defense with his speed for a good chance, save. This prompted my press box mate Curtis Pashelka and I to recall this gem of a Logan Couture-Noah Gregor story.

Toffoli goal: Where did come from, Mario?? Celebrini pushes back the defense, hits Ferraro on entry, Ferraro in center lane uncorks a spin no-look pass into Toffoli’s wheelhouse.

Grundstrom penalty: Really liked his game so far, but that’s not a great penalty. Unnecessary NZ stick penalty.

9 left: Thrun does a good job to close on Brown in the corner there, but he’s gotta make the next play, he tries a bounce pass but it’s too hard for his target, goes back to Edmonton.

6 left: Says something about the Oilers’ depth that their fourth line of Jones-Henrique-Perry can give the Sharks’ first line and D-pairing some hell. Tough shift for Celebrini, Ferraro, and company.

Skinner goal: Innocent-looking play, point shot, Oilers traffic, deflection.

2 left: Good hard trackback by Gregor, Oilers thought they had an easy exit but Gregor intercepted a soft exit pass. Carlsson got a good point shot off that Goodrow had a good view of for the tip.

Oilers update: Draisaitl doubtful to return to tonight's game. https://t.co/V7UQj60YpC

— Mark Spector🇨🇦🇺🇦 (@SportsnetSpec) April 4, 2025

Period 3

1 in: Stecher doesn’t like Lund taking an extra poke at the frozen puck, Eklund skates by, puts a hand between Stecher and Lund. Eklund a young guy too, but want to see that awareness for each other after what happened to Mukhamadullin.

4 in: Smart pick by Thrun high in OZ so Celebrini can grab the puck without issue. Small, meaningful awareness.

9 in: Lund steals it from Bouchard high, zips a shot.

10 in: Good forechecking work between Ostapchuk and Goodrow to keep it in. Been seeing that from Zack.

5 left: Nifty-looking wall move from Eklund on Nurse? Have to re-watch.

2 left: Surprised Pickard cleared the slot of the broken stick, thought that helps him.

1 left: This is probably a good example, fans have wondered about this, of why Warsofsky likes to keep his timeout. He wants it in the back of his pocket late, seems to think it a waste to use it to calm team down or whatever in middle of game. Top line has been out there for a lot of 2:45 since Romanov pulled, TO with 45 seconds left is critical. Can see Warsofsky’s argument or the flip side: One time-out is valuable, this isn’t basketball.