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Oilers-Sharks Preview

Jan 15, 2010 - 6:50 PM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer

Edmonton (16-25-5) at San Jose (30-10-8), 4:00 p.m. EDT

The San Jose Sharks aren't too happy with the way they have played offensively since their last meeting with the Edmonton Oilers.

The Sharks look to get untracked Saturday and extend their winning streak over the Oilers to six games when the teams meet at HP Pavilion.

San Jose (30-10-8) defeated Edmonton (16-25-5) by a 4-1 score Jan. 2, but has totaled 11 goals in going 3-2-1 since. The Sharks are tied with Chicago atop the Western Conference with 68 points, but have seen the Blackhawks leap over them as the conference's highest-scoring team.

"Although our record has been pretty good lately, I think, obviously our scoring, our first line is getting it done but other than that, the rest of the crew need to pick it up," defenseman Dan Boyle said. "That's defensemen included, but we need to start chipping in some goals here."

Joe Thornton had one goal and three assists in his last six games to bring his point total to 61 - three behind NHL leader Henrik Sedin of Vancouver. Thornton could continue his push for the top spot Saturday as he has five assists in two wins over the Oilers this season.

Thornton ended a seven-game goal drought Thursday, but San Jose lost 2-1 in a shootout to Boston despite a 42-31 edge in shots.

"We don't care who we play against," Thornton said. "I thought we still had a lot of chances, a lot of zone time in their end."

Dany Heatley assisted on Thornton's goal to push his point streak to five. Heatley has three goals and three assists in that span.

Edmonton has gone 0-5-1 in its last six and 1-12-1 since Dec. 11. The Oilers, though, feel they are playing better even after blowing a two-goal lead in the third period a 3-2 loss to Pittsburgh on Thursday.

"We have played very well against good teams this year and then find a way to disappoint ourselves." coach Pat Quinn said. "That was tough because I thought our team played well and maybe deserved a different result. But we have to quit beating ourselves before we learn to win hockey games."

Patrick O'Sullivan assisted on power-play goals by Andrew Cogliano and Lubomir Visnovsky in the second period before the Penguins surged in the final 20 minutes.

"It's hard to be up against good teams going into the third period," O'Sullivan said. "As weird as it sounds, it's almost better to be tied or only up one because you know you have to keep your foot on the gas."

Edmonton has been hot on the power play, with seven goals in 23 chances over the last seven games.

The Oilers will face a tough assignment if Evgeni Nabokov, who posted a 1.77 goals-against average in winning his last five starts against Edmonton, is in net Saturday. Nabokov has gone 10-2-1 with a 1.94 GAA in his last 13 starts.