Evgeni Nabokov hasn't been getting his block knocked off so much lately.

The Oilers Prove Patience Pays Off…

Many people dismissed Edmonton before even giving them a chance. They have a team full of young talent but they do lack experience, which is a concern for many.

Injuries to their defencemen have dogged the Oilers this season, an issue they hope to put behind them. The play of Sam Gagner and Andrew Cogliano has helped them keep above .500.

Their season has been dismal to say the least, but their future is looking brighter after winning their third straight game. It would be the first meeting between Edmonton goaltender Mathieu Garon and his former team, the Los Angeles Kings. Garon signed a two-year deal with Edmonton as an unrestricted free agent July 3. He left L.A. because he did not see a future for himself serving as the backup for Jason LaBarbera, who the Kings expected to get the majority of the playing time after a brilliant season in the American Hockey League.

Since Garon faced so many shots by Mike Cammalleri, Dustin Brown and Anže Kopitar in practice and in pre-game warm-ups during his two seasons with the Kings, he had the advantage of knowing some of their moves and tendencies.

Jean-Sébastien Aubin got the start for the Kings and made 20 saves in place of LaBarbera, who did not dress after injuring his ribs during a scramble in front of the net in Saturday's 5-2 loss against Colorado.

Garon made 31 saves in regulation time and stopped all three shots he faced in the shootout, giving the Oilers a 4-3 victory over the Kings on Monday night.

Edmonton now leads the league with a 7-1 record in shootouts. Rookie Gagner scored the only shootout goal.

Nabokov Confident between the Pipes

With Colorado captain Joe Sakic a scratch for the second straight game with a groin injury, the Sharks took advantage of a weakened Avalanche team.

All the San Jose Sharks needed were a lucky bounce and good goaltending to beat the Colorado Avalanche on Monday night.

There was no shortage in shots from Colorado, as they managed to fire 35 shots at San Jose goaltender Evgeni Nabokov.

Mike Grier's third-period goal was deflected into the net off Avalanche defenceman John-Michael Liles with 11:30 remaining, leading the Sharks to a 3-2 victory. San Jose was ahead 2-1 when Milan Michálek scored for the Sharks. The insurance goal became a game-winner when Andrew Brunette scored with 3:05 left.

It was enough to give the Avalanche just its third loss at home in 13 games.

San Jose has beaten Colorado for the second time in four nights.

"My defence played well in front of me," said Nabokov, who has started all 25 of San Jose's games this year. "They blocked a lot of shots in front of me and let me see the shots they got through."

Joe Thornton had a goal and an assist to bring his points total to 31, putting him fourteenth overall in the NHL.

San Jose has improved to 13-8 this season and the Sharks appear to be picking up the speed after a slow start. They have been able to beat the teams in their division, which is crucial in the run to qualify for the playoffs.

As for Sakic, the Avalanche does not consider his injury to be serious and the Avalanche expects him to return to the lineup in the near future.

Player Profile - Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings

Pavel Datsyuk was born July 20, 1978, in Sverdlovsk, Russia. He is one of the most popular players among the fans and is known for his silent, but humble demeanor, as well as his flashy moves out on the ice.

Scouts had initially been worried that although Datsyuk was an excellent player, his small size would work against him in the NHL. He soon grew and gained weight and has surprised the Red Wings with his approach and ability. Detroit drafted him in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft. He arrived in Detroit for the 2001-2002 season.

Datsyuk led the Red Wings in scoring for the last two seasons. He is signed to a long-term deal bringing him through the 2013-14 season. Datsyuk was named alternate captain this season as well. He won the Lady Byng Trophy for the league’s most gentlemanly player in 2006 and he was chosen to play in the All-Star Game in 2004.

He has a wealth of experience playing internationally, winning a bronze medal in the Winter Olympics in 2002. He won a bronze again playing for Russia in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey and yet again in the 2005 World Championships. He has also played in the 2003 World Championships, and the 2006 Winter Olympics.

His career totals in the NHL stand at 108 goals, 220 assists for 328 points.