Connor McDavid Assist Lifts Oilers Past Sharks 3-1

Connor McDavid did it again. The Oilers captain flew down the left wing, slid the puck to Vasily Podkolzin at the top of the slot, and watched him one-time it past Yaroslav Askarov for the goal that broke Saturday's game open. Edmonton beat the San Jose Sharks 3-1 at SAP Center for its fourth straight win, per NHL.com.

That helper keeps McDavid on a five-game point streak to open the season, and it is a loud one. He has 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) in those five games, per NHL.com. The Oilers are 4-0-1 and have a point in every game so far.

How the Oilers ground this one out

This was not a track meet. Mattias Ekholm opened the scoring at 12:37 of the first period, ripping a slap shot from the point through a screen and over Askarov's glove after Isaac Howard worked the puck off the right boards.

It stayed 1-0 until early in the third. Podkolzin made it 2-0 at 3:13 off that McDavid feed, and Alex Formenton made it 3-0 at 5:40 with his first goal for Edmonton, taking a pass from Mathieu Joseph on the rush and backhanding it over Askarov's left pad.

"I just liked that we stayed patient," Edmonton coach Mike Babcock said. "We stuck with the plan. Their coach did a real good job and their guys were organized. I thought we had to do it the hard way."

Tristan Jarry made 19 saves. Askarov stopped 17 for San Jose.

Podkolzin and Bouchard are riding shotgun

McDavid is not doing this alone. Podkolzin also has a point in all five games, with five goals and two assists, per NHL.com, and he knows exactly who to thank.

"It's a super privilege and unique situation for every player," Podkolzin said. "(McDavid and Leon Draisaitl) make me better every day and I am so grateful for that."

Then there is Evan Bouchard. His assist on the Podkolzin goal gave him 12 points (six goals, six assists) in five games. NHL.com notes he is just the third defenseman in league history with at least a dozen points through the first five games of a season, joining Harry Cameron and Morgan Rielly. If you have Bouchard in a fantasy league, you are already up big on your draft slot.

Celebrini scores in his return, Nurse sees old friends

The Sharks did get a good sign. Macklin Celebrini came back after missing two games with a lower-body injury and scored his first goal of the season at 11:19 of the third, winning the puck along the left wall and burying a wrist shot from the face-off dot after a Michael Misa feed.

It was also a strange night for Darnell Nurse. After 12 seasons in Edmonton, he faced the Oilers for the first time since they traded him to San Jose on July 1. He put five shots on goal and was minus-1 in 21:56.

"It was odd. Never been through that before, but preparation is no different," Nurse said. "Just go out there and play. It was a fun game to play in. Want a different result."

San Jose drops to 3-2-0. Edmonton, meanwhile, has opened a season on a five-game point streak for the sixth time in franchise history and the first time since 2021-22, per NHL.com. With McDavid feeding everybody and the goals coming from all over the lineup, this start does not feel like a fluke. Next up is a shot at five straight.