Oilers come back to tie series with Sharks

Jason Smith, Ales Hemsky and Jarret Stoll scored third-period goals as the host Edmonton Oilers rallied for a 6-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Friday night, tying the Western Conference semifinal series 2-2.

Smith took a pass from Sergei Samsonov from the corner, skated in alone on Sharks goalie Vesa Toskala and beat him with a backhand deke 2:57 into the third period to give the Sharks their first lead after trailing 3-1 midway through the second period.

Game 5 in the best-of-7 series is Sunday in San Jose, with Game 6 back in Edmonton Wednesday night.

The Sharks scored on their first two shots and, despite being badly outshot, led 3-1 halfway through the game.

“Obviously, we knew they were going to come out hard, and we tried to match their intensity and couldn’t keep up with them off the get-go,” Oilers forward Ryan Smyth told CBC. “But these fans are unbelievable. They gave us an extra boost.”

Oilers coach Craig MacTavish says both teams made mistakes, “but we were good when we had to be.”

He added the dynamics of the series have changed.

“It gets them flying to San Jose feeling the same way that we did flying to Edmonton and realizing how important that next game is. It will be the first time in that game in San Jose we’ve had any opportunity in the series to take hold of it.”

Sharks coach Ron Wilson believes his team still has the advantage with two of the remaining three games at home, adding that Edmonton’s comeback typifies the new reality in the NHL.

“Last year you get a 3-1 lead and it’s clutch and grab and put them in the sleeper hold and that’s it. You can’t do that anymore.”

Maurice new Leafs coach

Paul Maurice was 3 months old when the Toronto Maple Leafs last won the Stanley Cup. He knows what must be done, and now is in position to do something about it.

“In this market it’s pretty simple, you win or lose and there’s no gray area in there,” Maurice said after being hired as coach of the Maple Leafs. “You’re judged every game here, shift by shift as a matter of fact.”

He replaces Pat Quinn, who was fired April 20.

Maurice, the former coach of the Carolina Hurricanes, inherits a team that finished ninth in the Eastern Conference and missed the playoffs the first time since the 1997-98 season.