EDMONTON — Bryan Lerg scored the game winner in his NHL debut as the San Jose Sharks defeated the Edmonton Oilers 3-1 on Thursday in a game between two teams out of the playoff picture.
Patrick Marleau and Matt Nieto also scored for the Sharks (40-32-9), who snapped a two-game losing skid.
Nail Yakupov responded for the Oilers (24-44-13), who have lost four of their last five.
San Jose will miss the playoffs after qualifying for post-season play the last 12 seasons. The Oilers are on the outside looking in for the ninth straight year.
The Oilers dodged a bullet early on, killing off a boarding major assessed to rookie Curtis Hamilton just two minutes into the contest.
Oilers goalie Laurent Brossoit was tested early in his NHL debut, as he was forced to make 19 saves in the opening period.
Edmonton broke the deadlock with eight-and-a-half minutes to play in the second period as Sharks defenceman Justin Braun coughed up the puck in the slot right onto Yakupov’s stick, and he beat San Jose goalie Antti Niemi glove-side for his 13th of the season.
Brossoit continued to stand on his head in the second, making a flurry of saves in the final minute with Tomas Hertl clanging a shot off the post.
The Sharks tied the game midway through the third on their 42nd shot after Justin Schultz gave the puck away to Marleau, who waited for Brossoit to go down before lifting it over him.
San Jose went up 2-1 with just under three minutes left as Logan Couture sent the puck through traffic to Lerg at the side of the net for his first NHL goal.
Nieto added an empty-netter to give the Sharks some insurance.
Brossoit ended up with 49 saves. Niemi stopped 26 shots for the win.
Both teams complete their seasons on the road on Saturday as the Oilers are in Vancouver and the Sharks travel to Los Angeles to face the Kings.
Notes: In addition to Brossoit making his NHL debut… Hamilton was also playing his first NHL game…The 29-year-old Lerg finally got a shot in the pros for the Sharks after playing 353 minor league games… The Oilers have had 11 players make their NHL debuts this season.
