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Stuart Skinner recorded an 18-save shutout, and Connor McDavid recorded his 74th assist of the season as the Edmonton Oilers defeated the San Jose Sharks 3-0 in the final game of the campaign for both teams.
The game was San Jose’s first since captain Logan Couture announced the end of his playing career one day prior. The Sharks honored him during the game, and Oilers players made a point to shake hands with him after the contest concluded.
Game Summary
The Sharks dominated the opening minutes of the first period, recording the game’s first five shots on goal, but Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner stopped all six shots. Despite that start, Edmonton managed the first goal of the game on a shot from the point by former Shark Ty Emberson, aided by a good screen from Connor Brown. Emberson now has two goals this season, both against San Jose. Connor McDavid recorded the primary assist to reach 100 points on the season, joining Wayne Gretzky, Marcel Dionne and Mario Lemieux as players in NHL history with eight 100-point seasons.
From that point on, the Oilers controlled the rest of the period. They outshot the Sharks 6-1 over the remaining 11:40 and received one power play, but couldn’t add to their lead in that time.
After a back-and-forth and physical start to the second, the Oilers expanded their advantage midway through the period. They used sustained zone pressure and good puck movement to work the puck down low and give Max Jones a great look at the front of the net, which he put away for his first goal of the season.
Edmonton had a couple of decent scoring chances as they tried to pile on, but couldn’t capitalize. The Sharks, on the other hand, found very little for the remainder of the period. Their best chance actually came after the period was over. Jan Rutta tipped in a last-second shot by Will Smith, but it didn’t go into the net until after the buzzer sounded.
After the Oilers got the first look of the third period, the Sharks began to press in hopes of mounting a comeback. They controlled the puck for a stretch, but lost that momentum when they were called for a penalty about six minutes into the period. Edmonton didn’t score on the ensuing power play, but sustained the momentum from it to keep the Sharks from getting many more looks. San Jose got one last high-quality look when Noah Gregor hit the post with about four minutes remaining, but Corey Perry ended the game with an empty-net goal shortly thereafter.
Edmonton will finish the season with 101 points, good for third in the Pacific Division, while the Sharks finish with 52, last in the NHL. The Oilers continue their season in Los Angeles, where they’ll face the Kings in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Meanwhile, the next major event for San Jose will be this year’s draft lottery, where they’ll have the highest odds at the top pick for the second straight season.
More must-reads:
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LJ Mooney Could Be Another Steal
The third and final Habs prospect who had a great tournament at the four-team World Juniors Summer Showcase isn’t American LJ Mooney. While it is known that the diminutive forward is a highly skilled player, Mooney continues to impress everyone who watches him. Much like players of similar stature in Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson, Mooney is another small American who was passed over due to his size. Just like his older counterparts, he is already showing his doubters that they made a mistake. If you were to describe Mooney’s play, it would have to be a mix of a playmaking Cole Caufield and Brendan Gallagher. He has elite offensive talent similar to Caufield and the fierceness of Gallagher, but is probably a better hitter than the Habs grinding veteran was at that age. Despite only being 5’7 and 160 LBS, Little John (yes, that’s his actual name) Mooney wants to hit everything he can on the forecheck. His grinding style of play could allow him to be the future replacement for the heart and soul of Gallagher. However, if Mooney makes it to the NHL, he has the ability to be an even better version of Gallagher with his elite skills. During the 4-game World Junior Showcase, the American forward allowed his game to do the talking as he scored 2 goals and an assist. He also managed to continuously be a menace to defenders with his forechecking game. Check out some highlights from his game against Sweden. It will be interesting to see if he makes the U.S. World Juniors squad, but he has the skill. The one thing that likely prevents him from making the team is the same reason why he fell to the 4th round in the draft, which is his small stature. If they do cut him from the final World Junior squad, he will likely find a way to prove them wrong once again. The good news is that at last year’s U18 World Championships, he got his chance to play, and Mooney finished tied for the team lead in points with 11 in 7 games. His performance helped Team USA capture the Bronze medal. When taking that into account, there is a good chance he can find himself playing at the upcoming World Juniors tournament. Unlike I mentioned yesterday, with Michael Hage being able to play any role on Team Canada, if Mooney makes his national team, it would almost certainly have to be in the top 6, as his size still makes it very hard for him to play a true checking role. Mooney’s next challenge will be the University of Minnesota, where he is about to enter his freshman season. College hockey may be tough to start, but if one guy can overcome challenges in the Canadiens’ prospect pool, it’s Little John Mooney. The American will have a good opportunity to build up his game in Minnesota before moving over to the AHL or the NHL. If you ask me, Mooney may be one of the most intriguing prospects in the Habs pipeline, as if he hits, there is a high reward, but since he is a 4th rounder, it is also a low-risk.
Green Bay Packers: 2 Notable Former Wide Receivers Labeled as Surprise Cut Candidates
As the Green Bay Packers deal with their own crowded wide receiver room, multiple former Packers pass-catchers are also embroiled in position battles across the league. Notably, two veterans that turned in many successful seasons in Green Bay now find themselves battling to make rosters and have been labeled as big names that could become surprise cuts when rosters are trimmed down. New York Jets May Soon Be Done With Former Green Bay Packers Receiver Allen Lazard Former Packers receiver Allen Lazard was always a favorite of Aaron Rodgers during their time together in Green Bay. When Rodgers left the franchise, Lazard ended up following the quarterback to the New York Jets. While the Rodgers era for Gang Green has gone up in flames, Lazard remains on the roster – for now. Lazard entered camp as the presumed second receiver behind Garrett Wilson, but so far, fellow veteran Josh Reynolds has seemingly beaten out Lazard for the second spot. A former Detroit Lion, Reynolds has reportedly been building a good rapport with new signal-caller Justin Fields, leaving Lazard potentially relegated to slot duties. Although the Jets have receiver depth problems, some experts don’t believe that Lazard will survive cuts. The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt has stated that he does not expect Lazard to be on the 53-man roster. Some names behind Lazard on the current depth chart include veteran Tyler Johnson and rookie Arian Smith, both of whom have had flashes of ability in camp so far. Several of the younger players also offer one thing that Lazard notably doesn’t – the ability to play on special teams. If Lazard is cut by the team, it would mean the team would have moved on from another former Packer after dumping both Rodgers and Davante Adams this summer. Can Former Green Bay Packers Receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling Stick in Seattle? Marquez Valdes-Scantling was a member of the Green Bay Packers from 2018 to 2021, playing out his rookie contract with the team while being a big part of the offense. He had over 2,000 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns for the green and gold before leaving for Kansas City in free agency. In 2025, Valdes-Scantling was with the New Orleans Saints until he signed a one-year deal with the Seattle Seahawks worth around $4 million. Despite the 29-year-old being a proven veteran and solid deep threat, Valdes-Scantling currently finds himself near the edge of the Seahawks roster. Rookie receiver Tory Horton has already surpassed Valdes-Scantling on the depth chart and has been the fourth receiver in the team’s first-team rotation so far. Valdes-Scantling has been relegated to the second unit in training camp practices as of early August. Respected NFL writer Brady Henderson has said that Valdes-Scantling has “barely made any” plays throughout camp so far, whereas Horton has continued to catch eyes and has been nicknamed “Jerry Rice Jr.” by teammate Tariq Woolen. Like Lazard, Valdes-Scantling does not offer much on special teams either, and although the Seahawks would love to have a deep threat to compliment Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp, if Valdes-Scantling does not show up in camp, the team could move on from the former Green Bay Packer with little financial consequence.
Yankees quickly pull plug on key trade-deadline acquisition
After a disastrous start to his time in the Bronx, the New York Yankees have seen enough of reliever Jake Bird. Acquired in a trade-deadline deal with the Colorado Rockies, Bird was sent to Triple-A after giving up a game-winning three-run home run against the Texas Rangers on Monday night. The long ball continued what has been a head-shaking start for the 29-year-old right-hander with the Yankees, as he has given up seven runs (six earned) and four hits in just 2.0 innings worked over three games. His recent outings extend what has been a downward spiral for Bird. While with the Rockies, Bird allowed runs in 10 of his last 17 games before being traded, equaling a 13.20 ERA during that stretch. Before that, Bird was one of the most dominant relievers in baseball, posting a 1.41 ERA through his first 28 outings of the season. Bird's collapse in the Bronx goes along with the overall struggles of the Yankees bullpen. Devin Williams, another trade that was supposed to be an answer in the late innings for New York, served up the game-tying homer on Monday night in Texas. Over his last seven appearances, he has a 7.71 ERA, and a potential change at closer could be in the air after manager Aaron Boone's comments after Monday's loss. The Yankees made deals at the deadline to boost the bullpen, bringing in Bird from Colorado, David Bednar from Pittsburgh and Camilo Doval from San Francisco. However, those moves have mostly hurt the Yankees, who also saw leads evaporate in a three-game road sweep at the hands of the Miami Marlins. While it's still too early to say the Rockies won the trade by acquiring two prospects for Bird, the early results for the Yankees certainly point in that direction. If Bird isn't able to regain the confidence that was such a big part of his demeanor while in Colorado, the trade will be a decision that New York could regret for the rest of the season and beyond.
Deal close: Fabrizio Romano drops morning update as ‘breathtaking’ Liverpool maestro nears exit
Following the confirmed departure of Tyler Morton to Lyon on Tuesday evening, another Liverpool player could soon follow him out the door, judging by fresh reports. Last Minute Tickets to the Community Shield – Click Here! The Reds will go into the new season with a much-changed attacking arsenal, and there may well be further movement both into and out of Anfield by the end of the transfer window. One man who’s been strongly linked with an exit from the club is Darwin Nunez, the subject of rumoured interest from Al-Hilal and AC Milan, and it seems viable that he might no longer be an LFC player by 1 September. Nunez now closing in on Liverpool exit According to TEAMtalk, the 26-year-old is open to leaving Liverpool and has given the green light to a potential move to the aforementioned Saudi Pro League side, having been impressed by their ambitious long-term project and, in particular, their high-profile appointment of Simone Inzaghi as head coach. Talks between the striker’s agents and the Riyadh-based outfit commenced in April and have intensified in recent weeks, and with a verbal agreement seemingly in place between those two parties, it’s over to the two clubs to negotiate terms. The Reds are hoping to recoup most of the initial £65m that they paid to Benfica for Nunez three years ago, and formal talks with Al-Hilal are expected to begin in the coming days. That report was followed by an update from Fabrizio Romano on Wednesday morning (via X) indicating that the Saudi club are ‘close to’ getting a deal done, with the final decision now resting with the player. Nunez had his moments for Liverpool but writing has been on the wall The striker appears to have had a change of heart, with many previous reports indicating that his preference was to remain in Europe rather than going further afield, although we’ve seen the pulling power of the Saudi Pro League with numerous players over the past couple of years. What does seem apparent is that, despite a fine pre-season in which he scored five goals (only two fewer than he managed in the whole of 2024/25), the Uruguayan is prepared to close the book on his Liverpool career after three campaigns which were a mixture of ‘breathtaking’ moments (in the words of Luis Suarez) and baffling frustration. A combination of one Premier League start since January, the arrival of Hugo Ekitike and the much-publicised pursuit of Alexander Isak make it clear where Nunez sits in the pecking order under Arne Slot, and it appears that not even his purple patch in recent weeks will change that. It’s a shame that it’s never truly worked out for the 26-year-old at Anfield despite some memorable late goals, but at least it appears that the Reds will bank a healthy fee for him which could viably be put towards a blockbuster deal for Newcastle’s Swedish striker. If Nunez has played his final competitive game for Liverpool, then we wish him the very best with his next move, which now seems like it’ll take him to the Middle East rather than mainland Europe.
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