Sharks can't overcome defensive woes in 3-1 loss to Oilers

Curtis Pashelka, The Mercury News on Oct 10, 2026

Published in Hockey

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SAN JOSE, Calif. — A game between two of the most electrifying players in the NHL in Macklin Celebrini and Connor McDavid on Saturday instead became a defensive showdown, at least for the first two periods.

But while McDavid and the Oilers capitalized on their select opportunities, Celebrini and the Sharks didn’t find a rhythm until it was too late.

The Sharks allowed a first-period goal to Mattias Ekholm and third-period goals to Vasily Podkolzin and Alex Formenton in a span of 2:27 in a 3-1 loss to the Oilers before an announced sellout crowd of 17,435 at SAP Center.

Celebrini scored his first goal of the season at the 11:19 mark of the third period, as he helped create a turnover in the Oilers’ end, took a pass from Michael Misa and fired a shot past Tristan Jarry to cut Edmonton’s lead to 3-1.

Still, the Sharks couldn’t get any closer, losing for the second time in three games and managing just three regulation-time goals. The Sharks went 0 for 2 on the power play, and could not connect on a 6-on-4 advantage late in the third period.

Sharks goalie Yaroslav Askarov finished with 17 saves, and Oilers goalie Tristan Jarry finished with 19 saves.

Quick takeaways from Saturday’s game:

Scoring balance difference

The Sharks have their deepest forward group in years, but it didn’t come through on Saturday.

While the Oilers got even-strength goals while three different lines were on the ice, the Sharks’ most dangerous line through two periods might have been their third line with Misa, Collin Graf and Tyler Toffoli.

The Sharks’ top line with Celebrini, Will Smith and Mason Marchment managed just three shots in the first two periods.

With Celebrini back, the Sharks started the game with Igor Chernyshov on the fourth line with Barclay Goodrow and Zack Ostapchuk.

Defense on display

Through two periods, the Sharks only allowed eight shots on goal, all at even strength, and, per Natural Stat Trick, keeping McDavid and the Oilers mostly at bay.

That’s the fewest shots the Oilers have allowed in two periods in the McDavid era, going back to the 2014-2015 season.

But before slightly tweaking the forward lines for the final periods, moving Chernyshov alongside Sharks also didn’t generate many high-danger chances through two periods- just two, in fact, per Natural Stat Trick.

One came near the end of the second period when Celebrini took a pass in the slot, beat Jarry, and rang off the post.

Each team had five shots in the first period, but a San Jose breakdown led to Edmonton’s first goal.

Oilers forwards Josh Samanski and Ike Howard won a battle along the boards before Howard sent a pass to an open Ekholm, who had time to unleash a bomb from well inside the blue line that got past a screened Askarov for a 1-0 Sharks lead.

Time for a change?

Celebrini’s line with Smith and Marchment had no shots on net in the first period, as the Oilers largely disrupted the Sharks’ offense. Darnell Nurse, who was playing his first game against his former team, had two shots in the first period.

After missing the last two games with a lower body injury, center Celebrini returned to the lineup to face the Oilers in a matinee game at SAP Center.

Is it time for the Sharks to consider a change to the top line, replacing Marchment with another winger? Marchment scored in the first period of San Jose’s season-opening, but doesn’t have a point since, and had managed just nine shots on goal in the first four games.

Celebrini was a full participant in Friday’s practice at Sharks Ice and said afterward that he felt good, adding that “there’s always a chance” he could play against the Oilers.

Celebrini had five points, all assists, in the Sharks’ first two games this season before he felt discomfort during warmups before Monday’s game against the Dallas Stars and was a late scratch.

Celebrini was also scratched for Thursday’s game against the St. Louis, but the Sharks rebounded from a 5-0 loss in Dallas with a 3-2 overtime victory over the Blues.

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