Blackwood makes 39 saves, Sharks hold off Oilers

Darnell Nurse and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored, and Stuart Skinner allowed three goals on 18 shots for the Oilers (2-9-1), who have lost four straight and eight of nine (1-7-1).

Edmonton coach Jay Woodcroft said he is not concerned about his job security. The Oilers and Sharks are now tied for the fewest points in the NHL (five).

“No, I worry about taking care of my daily business and my daily process, and making sure that I give my players something to focus on and concentrate on,” Woodcroft said. “No one’s happy with where we’re at. We all own it. We can better, and that’s where my focus is.”

Nugent-Hopkins also addressed his team’s struggles.

“When you go through tough stretches, it’s the easy thing just to quit on each other, and that’s not what this group is about,” Nugent-Hopkins said. “Unfortunately, we’ve gone through this before in the past, and we found ways out. Start of the season feels a little different, but regardless, we’ve been through it before.”

Fabian Zetterlund gave San Jose a 1-0 lead at 18:35 of the first period, scoring on a wrist shot after Hertl’s pass from behind the net.