SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 14: San Jose Sharks’ Alexander Barabanov (94) fights for the puck towards Edmonton Oilers’ Derek Ryan (10) within the first interval on the SAP Heart in San Jose, Calif., on Monday, Feb. 14, 2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Space Information Group)
SAN JOSE – The Sharks followers that confirmed as much as Monday’s sport with the Edmonton Oilers didn’t have a lot love for Evander Kane, showering him with boos each time he touched the puck.
What was lacking from the introduced crowd of 11,153 at SAP Heart had been alternatives to cheer for their very own staff, because the Sharks’ offense was stifled in a 3-0 loss to Kane and the Oilers on Valentine’s Day.
The Sharks, coming off a 12-day break between video games, completed with simply 20 pictures on internet on Oilers rookie goalie Stuart Skinner, who earned his first profession NHL shutout. The Sharks have now been shut out 5 instances in 47 video games this season.
“Regular, I believe, attendance-wise for us this 12 months. I don’t assume us as gamers did a ok job creating vitality within the constructing,” Sharks captain Logan Couture stated. “I assumed we had been flat. It’s powerful for the followers to get into it after we’re not enjoying effectively.”
Kane, who performed for the Sharks from 2018 to 2021, had 4 pictures on purpose in 18:51 of ice time. Warren Foegele, Darnell Nurse and Connor McDavid all scored for Edmonton, which handed the Sharks their sixth loss in seven video games courting again to Jan. 20.
Sharks ahead Rudolfs Balcers was injured late within the second interval as he blocked a shot by Oilers defenseman Cody Ceci and didn't return. Sharks coach Bob Boughner didn't have an replace on Balcers instantly after the sport. 
Goalie James Reimer had 36 saves within the loss, which stored the Sharks (22-21-4) seven factors out of each third place within the Pacific Division and the Western Convention’s second wild-card spot.
San Jose’s three-game homestand continues with video games towards Vancouver on Thursday and Vegas on Sunday.
“Clearly, (the followers) type of acquired on (Kane) each time he touched the puck,” Reimer stated. “However no, I imply, there’s at all times these little storylines and stuff like that. However for us, this is a vital sport. It’s a four-point sport. We’re (seven) factors out of the playoffs right here and we want factors.”
The Sharks had been enjoying their first sport since Feb. 1 and though they recorded the primary six pictures of the primary interval, nonetheless seemed like a staff that was coming off a protracted layoff. Some passes by way of the impartial zone had been off beam and the Sharks failed to attain on their first two power-play tries with simply three pictures on internet within the course of.
Some rust, although, may need affected Reimer’s sport within the first interval, because the Oilers scored twice on their first 4 pictures. 
Foegele scored off a Derek Ryan help on the 6:05 mark of the primary interval on the Oilers’ first shot of the sport. Simply 65 seconds later, Nurse’s shot from simply contained in the blue line, which seemed to be deflected in entrance of the Sharks’ internet, acquired previous Reimer for his fifth purpose of the season and a 2-0 Edmonton lead.
Reimer stated he felt OK, however added that previously, lengthy layoffs have been notably difficult for him.
“You don’t actually wish to be off the ice for too too lengthy,” Reimer stated. “Enjoying goalie, it places your physique in bizarre positions and after too many days off, your hips and knees and ankles begin to return to regular.
“I by no means actually favored taking a ton of break day. However I attempted to remain lively and preserve issues limber. So it was a extremely good psychological break so far as restoration. However something over after a few days, typically it does the alternative, too.”
The Sharks within the first two durations killed off 5:07 of the Oilers’ power-play time however managed simply 9 pictures on internet at even energy by way of 40 minutes.
“We’ve acquired to our get our sport again to being somewhat extra meat and potatoes,” Boughner stated. “I assumed we had been attempting to be somewhat too fancy at instances. We turned the puck over too many instances within the first interval and the primary 25-Half-hour of the sport.
“After we did dump it, the goalie got here out and performed loads of the dumps so we couldn’t maintain a forecheck.” 
Kane, who started the sport on a line with Leon Draisaitl and Kailer Yamamoto, had 12:39 of ice time within the first two durations with two pictures on internet.
Kane absorbed hits from Lane Pederson and Nicolas Meloche and dished one out to Tomas Hertl.
In the end, although, it was a reasonably uneventful night time for Kane, who was enjoying in his seventh sport for the Oilers since he was formally signed by the staff to a one-year contract on Jan. 27.
“It’s humorous, the coaches requested me that (Sunday), and I actually haven’t given it a lot thought to it,” Kane stated when requested about his return to San Jose. “I’m simply trying ahead to getting on the market and getting a win.”
Monday’s sport additionally marked a return to San Jose for Jay Woodcroft, who was named the Oilers’ interim coach final Thursday, changing the fired Dave Tippett.
Woodcroft was a Sharks assistant from 2008 to 2015 on coach Todd McLellan’s workers. He went with McLellan to Edmonton in 2015, teaching there till 2016 earlier than he grew to become the top coach of the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL. 