SAN JOSE – Second-year forward Will Smith knows his play needs to ramp up a notch as the San Jose Sharks try to stay afloat in the Western Conference playoff race.

Smith was benched at various points of Tuesday’s road game against the Edmonton Oilers as he finished with just 13:27 in ice time, his second-lowest total of the season. On his 21st birthday, Smith was replaced at times by Michael Misa on the Sharks’ top line alongside Macklin Celebrini, as San Jose lost 5-3 to the Oilers and finished a five-game road trip with a 2-3-0 record.

Smith finished with one shot on goal, his only shot attempt, as the Oilers scored twice in the third period to seal the victory.

“As it comes to the end of the season, just make sure we’re competing,” Smith said when asked if he received a message from coach Ryan Warsofsky. “There’s a lot of points on the line here, especially with the playoffs coming up. So, got to be better.”

Smith had just two assists in his last seven games before Thursday’s home game against the Atlantic Division-leading Buffalo Sabres. The Sharks are 2-3-2 in that time, and entered Thursday in 10th place in the Western Conference with 70 points.

The goal drought is Smith’s longest this season, eclipsing the six-game drought he had at the beginning of the year, when he had four assists during San Jose’s 0-4-2 start.

Warsofsky wants Smith to battle to keep the puck on his stick for longer stretches and make plays.

“Just go play,” Warsofsky said of his message to Smith, who entered Thursday as the Sharks’ second-leading scorer with 45 points in 53 games. “I think he can overthink it at times. He’s hit a little speed bump in developing, and we’re there to help him, push him, and get through it with him.

“But this is the first time that, not just Will, but a lot of guys have played in this type of hockey. So, is it going to happen overnight? No, but we’re going to continue to work on it and get better at it, and Will’s certainly aware, and we know that he can play better, and you’re going to have this again in his career. Maybe be three years now. It might be five years now, where maybe he’s not chipping in as much offensively. How else can you impact the game?”

Smith has 13 shots on net in his last seven games, but just two in his last three games before Thursday.

Asked if he feels he needs to put more pucks on net, Smith said, “I always want to shoot more, and I think when you have a shooting mentality, you’re obviously going to score more. So definitely have to shoot more with one month left.”

Smith will begin Thursday’s game on the Sharks’ second line with Alex Wennberg and Pavol Regenda, as Collin Graf and Tyler Toffolo will be the wings on Celebrini’s line. Misa will play alongside wingers William Eklund and Kiefer Sherwood.

“I’ve played with (Wennberg) before; obviously makes a lot of plays,” Smith said, and (Regenda) can put it in the back of the net. So I’m excited.”

The Sharks also entered Thursday one point behind the Seattle Kraken. After that, the Sharks have 15 games in 27 days, and the hockey figures to get heavier from here on out, with every point across the NHL being so critical to so many teams.

“It’s just more physical, faster,” Smith said of late-season hockey. “Everyone’s getting ready for the playoffs. So, it’s a different level of game, and I think everyone’s doing it.”