Sharks at Blue Jackets
The San Jose Sharks have turned their season around far away from home and can complete a perfect six-game road trip out East when they take on the improving Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday. The Sharks were under .500 when they left San Jose and knocked off Detroit, Buffalo, Boston and Philadelphia by a goal before Saturday’s 3-1 victory at Pittsburgh.
San Jose’s Patrick Marleau recorded a pair of assists in the contest to become the 83rd player in NHL history to reach 1,000 points and the 16th to do it all with one team. Marleau and the many other offensive weapons for the Sharks will have their work cut out for them against the Blue Jackets, who have won four of their last five. Goalie Sergei Bobrovsky has been a major factor in Columbus’ recovery from a 0-8-0 start and is riding a four-game winning streak -- allowing four goals in that span. The Blue Jackets won 5-2 at San Jose on Nov. 3 and are 7-1-1 in the last nine versus the Sharks.
TV: 5 p.m. ET, CSN California (San Jose), FSN Ohio (Columbus)
ABOUT THE SHARKS (12-8-0): Defenseman Brent Burns delivered a pair of goals in Saturday’s victory while moving to second on the team with 16 points — two behind captain Joe Pavelski. Burns has five points in his last four contests and free-agent signing Joel Ward snapped a four-game scoring drought with an assist against Pittsburgh. Martin Jones was pulled in the last game before the trip, but has rebounded by allowing only eight goals in the last five games while increasing his win total to 11 in his first season with San Jose.
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (8-13-0): Ryan Johansen was struggling with his game and his health early in the season, but has raised his level of play lately with five points in the last four games. The center is tied with Boone Jenner and Scott Hartnell for the team lead with 15 points while Brandon Saad (14) has six points in the last five contests. Defensemen Cody Goloubef (jaw) and Fedor Tyutin (upper body), both injured in Friday’s 4-0 win over Nashville, are out indefinitely and defenseman Andrew Bodnarchuk was recalled.
OVERTIME
1. San Jose coach Peter DeBoer missed Saturday’s game due to a personal matter and it is uncertain whether he will return in Columbus.
2. Columbus D Ryan Murray, who had a plus-4 rating and an assist in Friday’s victory, is slated to play his 100th NHL game Sunday.
3. Marleau has 462 goals and 539 assists in 1,349 career games with the Sharks.