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Oilers try to extend win streak in clash with Sharks

Jan 29, 2014 - 3:34 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Edmonton Oilers have endured plenty of losing streaks this season, but on Wednesday night the club can post three consecutive wins for just the second time this campaign as it plays host to the mighty San Jose Sharks.

The Oilers snapped a six-game slide with Sunday's 5-1 victory over Nashville, then made it two in a row for the first time in a month by knocking off the Vancouver Canucks the following night.

David Perron completed his second career hat trick with an empty-net goal, while Jesse Joensuu broke a tie game with his first goal in 15 games 2:20 into the third period in a 4-2 win.

Ilya Bryzgalov stopped 25 shots for the Oilers, who have won two in a row for the first time since Dec. 23-27. They first won three straight this season from Nov. 16-21.

"That's the way we need to play to earn points in this league," said Perron, whose 22 goals this season set a new career high, surpassing the 21 he netted with the St. Louis Blues in 2011-12.

Taylor Hall had an assist and has logged six helpers over his past five games.

Edmonton, which begins a four-game road trip on Saturday, is still last in the Western Conference with 40 points.

Bryzgalov is 10-11-4 with a 2.35 goals against average in his career versus the Sharks, while fellow Oilers netminder Ben Scrivens has faced them just once before.

Scrivens, who in his last start won for the first time in three starts since being acquired from the Los Angeles Kings, dropped a 3-2 shootout decision to the Sharks on Nov. 27, making 38 saves.

The Oilers have lost six in a row and 10 of their last 13 versus the Sharks, including two meetings this season. Edmonton has also dropped four straight and 10 of the past 12 as the host.

San Jose will try to rebound tonight after having a six-game winning streak halted with Monday's 1-0 setback to the Los Angeles Kings in the finale of a four-game homestand.

Anze Kopitar had the lone goal of the game, beating Sharks backup netminder Alex Stalock at 17:56 of the second period. That snapped Stalock's shutout streak at a franchise-record 178 minutes and 55 seconds.

Stalock, who had posted shutouts in each of his previous two starts, made 20 saves and bested Evgeni Nabokov's previous franchise mark of 171:18, set in January of 2009.

"Al (Stalock) gives us a shot to win every night and tonight was no exception," San Jose captain Joe Thornton said of Stalock. "He played super."

San Jose will also play in Calgary tomorrow night, so both Stalock and Antti Niemi could see action over the next two days.

Niemi has never lost to the Oilers in his career, going 7-0-1 with a 2.18 GAA,. He stopped 23-of-24 shots faced in a 5-1 home win over Edmonton on Jan. 2.

Stalock faced the Oilers for the first and only time in his career on Nov. 15 on the road. He made 30 saves in a 3-1 win.