by Chuck Sommers
Thursday, Apr 28, 2022
Time: 9 p.m. ET
Venue: Rogers Place, Edmonton, AB
Where to watch: SN1, NBC Sports California
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Oilers -125, Sharks +105
BetMGM: Oilers -125, Sharks +105
Caesars: Oilers -125, Sharks +105
Season record
Sharks: 32-36-12
Oilers: 47-27-6
Ben Burns has reeled off a strong 29-14-0 run over the last month in the NHL. After an action-packed month of March, April is bound to be just as crazy with the playoff push underway. Do you have the right picks to lead you to glory and get you ready for what should be an exciting push to the end? Catch Ben's plays available right now at the Shop Picks page, where you can find all of the Best Bets from our champion sports handicappers.
Sharks - Oilers preview and analysis
The Edmonton Oilers already know they’re going to have home-ice advantage when they face the Los Angeles Kings in the first round of the playoffs, and there’s not much more for them to play other than padding their point total to a beyond respectable number.
And it doesn’t look like the Oilers are slowing down any time soon after their last game, and I don’t think that’ll change going into Thursday’s matchup against the San Jose Sharks for their second-to-last home game of the season.
The Oilers are coming off a steamrolling performance in Pittsburgh, winning 5-1 and watching Connor McDavid putting up four points including a ridiculous sharp-angle goal that somehow beat Casey DeSmith over his left shoulder.
If anything, the biggest story for the remainder of the Oilers’ season is if McDavid can keep this pace up and clinch the Art Ross Trophy as the top scorer in hockey. McDavid, with 12 points in his last four games, leads the NHL with 122 points and is three clear of Florida Panthers forward Jonathan Huberdeau.
"Quiet four-point night? Loud four-point night? I don't know. It's just normal, right?" forward Zach Hyman said of McDavid. "Just such a dynamic player. Best player in the world, right? So that's what you expect and that's what you get. I'm glad he's with us. I'm glad I'm here."
The Oilers aren’t sure if they’ll have defenseman Darnell Nurse available to them after dealing with a lower-body injury. He missed his second straight game against Pittsburgh, but while the Oilers are playing well right now, they’re only going to be better if their defense is shored up. Having Nurse will help with that.
The Sharks already won their Stanley Cup last Sunday night when they rallied from two goals down in two minutes to defeat the Vegas Golden Knights in a 5-4 shootout, their first win in 12 games over their most hated rivals. That, in turn, helped knock the Golden Knights out of the playoffs.
The good times ran out shortly after when San Jose lost 5-2 to the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday after winning three of their previous four. The Sharks have to feel good about the direction of their franchise, even if they’re the ones primarily responsible for knocking the Golden Knights out of the playoffs.
"I was okay with our game, I really was," San Jose coach Bob Boughner said. "I felt like they capitalized on their chances and we didn't. Stolarz played well. I just thought it was one of those games. It would have been nice to win our last home game but we just couldn't find that goal we needed early."
Prediction
Nothing more to this. McDavid will dominate as he usually does, and the Sharks will just go away for the rest of the year while they celebrate their championship. I really can’t blame them for wanting them to party so hard they forget to show up for a game. Oilers win 4-1
Betting trends
Sharks are 5-18 this season after a division game this season.
Sharks are 1-6 this season off a home loss to a division rival.
Oilers are 19-5 this season against division opponents.
Oilers are 12-1 this season after allowing one goal or less their last game.
Projected lines
Sharks:
Timo Meier -- Tomas Hertl -- Alexander Barabanov
Nick Bonino -- Logan Couture -- Matt Nieto
Rudolfs Balcers -- Thomas Bordeleau -- Noah Gregor
Jonah Gadjovich -- Sasha Chmelevski -- Scott Reedy
Mario Ferraro -- Brent Burns
Jaycob Megna -- Nicolas Meloche
Marc-Edouard Vlasic -- Ryan Merkley
James Reimer
Timo Meier -- Tomas Hertl -- Alexander Barabanov
Nick Bonino -- Logan Couture -- Matt Nieto
Rudolfs Balcers -- Thomas Bordeleau -- Noah Gregor
Jonah Gadjovich -- Sasha Chmelevski -- Scott Reedy
Mario Ferraro -- Brent Burns
Jaycob Megna -- Nicolas Meloche
Marc-Edouard Vlasic -- Ryan Merkley
James Reimer
Oilers:
Evander Kane -- Connor McDavid -- Kailer Yamamoto
Ryan McLeod -- Leon Draisaitl -- Zach Hyman
Warren Foegele -- Ryan Nugent-Hopkins -- Derek Ryan
Derick Brassard -- Devin Shore -- Zack Kassian
Duncan Keith -- Evan Bouchard
Brett Kulak -- Tyson Barrie
Kris Russell -- Cody Ceci
Mike Smith
Evander Kane -- Connor McDavid -- Kailer Yamamoto
Ryan McLeod -- Leon Draisaitl -- Zach Hyman
Warren Foegele -- Ryan Nugent-Hopkins -- Derek Ryan
Derick Brassard -- Devin Shore -- Zack Kassian
Duncan Keith -- Evan Bouchard
Brett Kulak -- Tyson Barrie
Kris Russell -- Cody Ceci
Mike Smith
Statistical leaders
Sharks:
Points: Timo Meier -- 76
Goals: Timo Meier -- 35
Assists: Brent Burns -- 43
Goalie: James Reimer -- 19-17-9, 2.85 GAA, .913 SV%
Oilers:
Points: Connor McDavid -- 122
Goals: Leon Draisaitl -- 55
Assists: Connor McDavid -- 78
Goalie: Mike Smith -- 16-9-2, 2.81 GAA, .915 SV%
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Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
