THE MATCHUP

Edmonton Oilers: 47-26-9,

2nd in Pacific

San Jose Sharks: 46-29-7,

3rd in Pacific

Edmonton: This is Connor McDavid’s world and we’re all just living in it. OK, maybe not quite yet. But when you consider the Oilers’ generational star was the only NHLer to reach 100 points in this, just his second season in the league, the sport certainly is heading in that direction. McDavid aside, perhaps the most important stride the Oilers took this season was the improve- ment on the defensive front, starting with goalie Cam Talbot. Coming off a campaign in which he registered seven shutouts, Talbot is capable of giving the Oilers the type of goaltending that can translate into a lucrative postseason.

San Jose: In reaching the Stanley Cup final a year ago, the Sharks — considered for years to be the NHL’s consummate underachievers — finally showed they have the horses to make a deep playoff run. At the same time, there are warning signs everywhere hovering over this team. This is an aging roster that grinded its way through four rounds last spring, eventually bowing out to the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins in six games. More recently, over the past six weeks, cornerstone players such as defenceman Brent Burns and forwards Logan Couture and Joe Thornton have all been banged up. Coach Pete DeBoer certainly has a daunting task ahead of him.

Who wins? There is a special vibe going on at Rogers Place, the glitzy new digs of the Oilers. Led by McDavid, this young Edmonton team oozes with the type of focus and confidence that makes any team dangerous. Having No. 97 in the lineup every game doesn’t hurt, either. And with the Sharks’ Thornton (lower body) and Couture (upper body) day to day heading into Game 1, this is a Sharks team that is ripe for the taking. Oilers in 6.

Season series: Oilers won 3-1-1 All- time playoff series: Oilers, 1- 0 Edmonton’s key player: F Milan Lucic. On a team lacking playoff experience, Lucic has the facial gashes and Stanley Cup ring that can motivate the youngsters around him. His job is simple: Put pucks in the net while keeping opponents off Edmonton’s skilled cache of young players, led by McDavid. He’s shown in the past he can do both.

San Jose’s key player: D Brent Burns. A favourite for the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top defenceman, Burns sputtered down the stretch from what seemed to be a combination of injuries and fatigue. He’ll need to be at the top of his game or it will be a short series for the Sharks — and not in a good way.

Oilers lineup

Patrick Maroon, Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl

Milan Lucic, Ryan Nugent- Hop-

kins, Jordan Eberle

Benoit Pouliot, David Desharnais, Iiro Pakarinen

Drake Caggiula, Mark Letestu, Zack Kassian

Defensive pairings

Oscar Klefbom, Adam Larsson Andrej Sekera, Kris Russell Darnell Nurse, Matt Benning

Goalies

Cam Talbot Laurent Brossoit

San Jose’s lineup

Melker Karlsson, Joe Pavelski, Kevin Labanc

Jannik Hansen, Tomas Hertl, Mikkel Boedker

Joonas Donskoi, Chris Tierney, Patrick Marleau

Timo Meier, Danny O’Regan, Joel Ward

Defensive pairings

Paul Martin, Brent Burns Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Dylan DeMelo

Brenden Dillon, David Schlemko

Goalies

Martin Jones Aaron Dell