McDavid Pours Gas on Sharks’ Playoff Hopes in 5-2 Oilers Win

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

Macklin Celebrini and Kiefer Sherwood scored, but the Sharks lost 5-2.

Connor McDavid had a hat trick and five points.

Period 1

Celebrini goal: Exactly the start that you want for the San Jose Sharks. Switching Celebrini and Smith on the flanks yields results, their forehands being closer to walls helps them protect the puck more, which Smith needed vs. Nashville. You lose the one-timer option, but you gain puck protection.

ANOTHER MILESTONE FOR CELEBRINI 🤯

With point No. 108 on the season, Macklin Celebrini now has the third most points by a teenager in a single season in NHL history, trailing only Wayne Gretzky and Sidney Crosby! pic.twitter.com/7ZXc1HPcrG

— NHL (@NHL) April 9, 2026

Misa penalty: Exactly the start that you don’t want lol. Sharks are back with Graf-Wennberg-Ferraro-Desharnais as their top PK unit.

McDavid goal: Edmonton, besides ridiculous skill, just puts constant pressure on net on a power play, something that the Sharks can learn. McDavid is going for the cross-slot pass, but it’s right in front of Nedeljkovic, bounces off something, sits on goal line, then McDavid pokes it home. ABP, always be pressuring. Sharks sometimes are always be perimeter on the PP.

7 in: Huge exchange there, Eklund picks up rebound from his own shot, brilliant pass to Sherwood, post. Whoever was on Sherwood defended him hard to end, I think, so Sherwood couldn’t get all of it. Then Podkolzin rush chance the other way, Nedeljkovic save.

10 in: Dickinson gets eaten up by Roslovic high, that can’t happen. Roslovic breakaway, he goes glove high, misses. Zubair, sitting next to me, says (he thinks) a Kapanen breakaway earlier in game also went glove high miss.

6 left: Celebrini and Toffoli execute (almost) pretty-looking back-to-back PP give-and-go’s.

Podkolzin goal: You can’t give Oilers power plays, but you also got to stop a couple. San Jose Sharks, after a good PK run, are now 8-for-16 recently. But again, Edmonton, bad-angle shot-pass by Nugent-Hopkins, Podkolzin jumps on it, beats Ferraro and Leddy to it. Always be pressuring.

#SJSharks got ZERO 5v5 shots in the 1st period.

Defensively, they only allowed 5 to Oilers, so that's good, but as we saw in the 1st, if you're counting on winning the power play battle vs. EDM, well, that's a bold strategy, Cotton

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) April 9, 2026

Period 2

15,683 announced attendance. There is a noticeably loud Oilers booster group here.

Roslovic goal: Disaster. Pure disaster. Terrible line change, Roslovic all alone on PP breakaway. Maybe Graf who goes off, when Wennberg does, but maybe Graf should’ve stayed out there? The defensemen change too.

Sherwood goal: Just get it to the net! San Jose Sharks’ first 5v5 shot tonight. Wennberg point shot, Sherwood tip and Eklund is in front of the net too.

McDavid goal: Starts with Dickinson, had a chance to do something with the puck, but weak pass or clear, stays in zone. He’s had a rough night so far, he’s got to sharpen up. The puck does get out barely, McDavid regroup, but he blows by Leddy and Nedeljkovic sells out for the poke check, I think, misses, too easy. Last two goals are simply unacceptable from the San Jose Sharks. I don’t blame Dickinson on the actual goal, but I think with more veteran instincts, he’ll recognize that Leddy needs help, and leave his position to come down harder on McDavid. It was an emergency. Just an area of improvement for him, not a mistake, per se. Of course, goal is on Leddy for getting smoked and Nedeljkovic missing on the poke. Also, that’s best player in the world stuff by McDavid. I’m not going to light Leddy up for being slower than McDavid. McJesus has been an absolute terror tonight.

One of those games where it feels like Sharks are afraid of making mistakes, which is causing more of them. “Let ‘er rip!” Been watching “The Bear” (for the first time) recently.

9 left: After a frankly awful San Jose Sharks power play, Oilers had best chance, then Orlov on counterattack dropped it to no one, after PP ended, Sharks kept it simple, got it to the net, Sherwood in front with a Grade-A, dynamite save by Ingram. KISS. No, not the band, keep it simple stupid.

7 left: Small example of where you need more pace around Celebrini. Desharnais didn’t make a bad play, but Oilers clear, Nedeljkovic hands it off to Desharnais, who needs a half-beat to collect, before he tries to stretch it to Celebrini, who was at opposite blueline a la Roslovic earlier. Wouldn’t have been a breakaway, but a split-second earlier, on the tape, maybe a chance? Instead, nothing doing.

McDavid goal: Dickinson has been an adventure tonight. Chernyshov prevented from exiting, puck lands on Dickinson’s stick, he doesn’t necessarily do anything wrong trying to plug it up the wall, but it doesn’t get out, and it’s a down-low 2-on-1, McDavid pass hits Orlov and in. Feel for Sam there, but results business there, he didn’t have a terrible idea, but he’s got to get it out.

5 left: Sherwood being too fine there, just shoot it. Had all day in slot, tries to hit Eklund crashing net hard.

Whoa incredible Smith bid there, coming from side, backhand bad angle, hit the crossbar. I like his directness there, don’t find a pass, just get it on Ingram. Celebrini forced an Ekholm turnover, Smith pounced on it. Oilers are susceptible, but the Sharks have just been too irresponsible tonight. They deserve to be down by three. McDavid with an MVP performance.

1 left: Desharnais just erases Kapanen one-on-one behind the net. Good puck battle win, gets it up the ice, and then, he gets the shot on goal with a little traffic in front. Good shift.

Period 3

Jarry in for Ingram.

8 in: Dickinson post, be curious how he is next game? Wouldn’t surprise me if he gets a break against the Ducks tomorrow? He did bounce back from a tough game in Nashville with one of his best in St. Louis on the road trip.