The Edmonton Oilers have their superstar captain back and are coming off a dramatic win going into Friday night’s game against the visiting San Jose Sharks.

Connor McDavid had three assists in his return after missing eight games with a lower-body injury and Connor Brown scored with 21 seconds left to give the host Oilers a 4-3 win over the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday night.

“We kind of knew that he was itching to play. It was just a matter of if they let him,” Brown said of McDavid. “I think he’s the true embodiment of a captain. Unselfish, hard-working, leads by example.”

Edmonton (45-28-5, 95 points) was 4-4 without McDavid.

Brown’s goal was his second marker of the game.

Vasily Podkolzin and Viktor Arvidsson also scored for the Oilers and defenseman Darnell Nurse had two assists. Calvin Pickard made 23 saves.

The Oilers had to play with five defensemen because former Shark Jake Walman was a late scratch.

“He’s day to day and we hope he can play Friday,” Edmonton coach Kris Knoblauch said. “It might get pushed back a day or two.”

McDavid said the team was in a difficult situation on Wednesday.

“Guys coming in and out of the lineup, sick, hurt, whatever it is,” McDavid said. “Short numbers, we had to go five D. It was a gutsy effort by them.

“It was kind of a crazy day for our group with not knowing who is going and whatnot. I was just happy to get in there.”

The Oilers’ other superstar, Leon Draisaitl, missed his third game with an undisclosed injury. He leads the league with 52 goals. Defenseman Mattias Ekholm has missed seven games with an undisclosed injury. Both are listed as day-to-day.

The Sharks (20-47-11, 51 points) have lost seven in a row (0-5-2) after their 8-7 overtime road loss to the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday.

Macklin Celebrini, who was the first pick overall in last June’s draft, had his first NHL hat trick and two assists and San Jose scored three goals in the third period to send the game into overtime and earn a point. Another Sharks rookie and Celebrini’s linemate, Will Smith, had one goal and three assists.

“We just got a good look at the future, didn’t we?” Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said. “Was one of (Celebrini’s) better games here as of late, obviously, with points and whatnot. And then Will as well. Even (Nokolai Kovalenko) has really stepped up and played a good spot in that role. But yeah, we just got a really good look at the future.”

San Jose’s Alexandar Georgiev made 36 saves.

“I thought we played pretty good,” Celebrini said. “We kept going, we kept pushing. We never really gave up. And I think that shows a lot to our group.”

Smith tied the game 7-7 with 52 seconds left in regulation and Georgiev pulled for the extra attacker.

“I think the comeback in the third is really big for us, but that’s a really tough one in the end,” Smith said.

San Jose defenseman Mario Ferrara is questionable for Friday after leaving the game in the second period after blocking a shot with his leg.

–Field Level Media