Oilers hope to contain Sharks

SAN JOSE, Calif. (CP) — The Edmonton Oilers have kept the San Jose Sharks off the scoreboard for six straight periods in taking a 2-1 Stanley Cup series lead.

While that puts the spotlight on Edmonton goalie Cam Talbot, he is quick to share the credit.

“Can’t say enough good things about the guys in front of me the last couple of games,” Talbot said Monday after a practice in preparation for tonight’s Game 4. “I mean, we’ve given up less shots in the last two games combined than we did in the first game alone. We really tightened it up on the back end, not giving them much off the rush.”

San Jose fired 44 shots on net in its 3-2 overtime win in the series opener, but totalled only 39 in its two losses.

The emphasis on team defence that is paying off now has been part of the Oilers philosophy since Todd McLellan took over behind the bench before the 2015-16 season.

“It was pretty obvious it was something that needed to happen,” McLellan said. “When you threw the numbers at the group two years ago when we started, Edmonton had a reputation of playing real fast, get on offence and see what happens. That doesn’t win at this time of the year and I think we’re proving that.”

The year before McLellan arrived, the Oilers had given up an average of 3.37 goals per game, the highest of any NHL team. This season, that figure was down to 2.52 per game, eighth best in the NHL.

Three of the six Edmonton defencemen charged with containing the Sharks this series are finishing their first season with the Oilers.

The biggest acquisition came last June when the team acquired Adam Larsson from the New Jersey Devils for popular forward Taylor Hall.

Kris Russell and Matt Benning also signed as free agents, but it was the trade for Larsson that got the most attention from critics who thought the Oilers gave up too much for too little.