McLellan: Sharks taught Oilers 'a big lesson' in Game 4 blowout

The Edmonton Oilers might want to put Tuesday night's seven-goal defeat in the rearview mirror, but Todd McLellan describes it as a learning experience.

"Tonight was a big lesson ... (it) proves to our group that teams can take it to another level," the head coach said following a 7-0 loss to the San Jose Sharks in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series. He added, "It was their night."

Several Oilers players expressed a desire to move on quickly from Tuesday's shellacking when asked about it postgame.

Connor McDavid called it a "one-off" and said, "you just scrap it." Cam Talbot said, "You shelf it. It's one and forgotten," and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins said, "It doesn't matter what the score was, we just have to look forward to the next game."

McLellan acknowledged his young club simply doesn't have the familiarity with the postseason that its opponent possesses.

"We're learning as we go. Our top scorers haven't experienced this level of hockey," he said.

"They really haven't. When you look at (Joe) Thornton, (Patrick) Marleau, (Joe) Pavelski, (Brent) Burns ... those are some pretty experienced guys (who) have lived through these types of games and they knew where they had to take it. Our guys now have experienced it."

The series shifts back to Edmonton for Game 5 on Thursday night. The Oilers split the first two games at Rogers Place, and they'll have two of the three potential remaining contests on home ice.