Penguins at Sharks
The Pittsburgh Penguins' top-ranked power play has cranked it up a notch in the new calendar year, going 10-for-27 to help the two-time reigning Stanley Cup champions win six of their last eight contests. The Penguins aim to continue their torrid ways on Saturday when they conclude their three-game trek through California with a tilt versus the San Jose Sharks.
Patric Hornqvist capped a two-goal performance by converting on the power play midway into the third period in Thursday's 3-1 win over Los Angeles, giving him three goals and an assist during his three-game point streak. The 31-year-old Swede scored the game-winning goal to complete a two-point effort in a 3-2 victory over the Sharks last season. San Jose's power play had converted on 20 occasions in its previous 17 games before coming up empty on all seven opportunities in a 5-3 setback at red-hot Colorado. Defenseman Brent Burns has added to his team-leading assists (28) and points (35) totals with nine and 10, respectively, this month.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, AT&T Sports Network-Pittsburgh, NBCS California (San Jose)
ABOUT THE PENGUINS (25-20-3): Evgeni Malkin scored his seventh goal in six contests early in the third period and added an assist on the power play Thursday, increasing his point total to 17 (nine goals, eight assists) in his last 11 games. The former Hart Trophy winner didn't exit that game unscathed, however, as he was fined $5,000 - the maximum allowable under the collective bargaining agreement - for spearing Kings forward Dustin Brown. Captain Sidney Crosby set up Hornqvist's second goal on Thursday to extend his point streak to six games (three goals, 11 assists) while fellow forward Carl Hagelin is riding career high-tying five-game assist and point streaks.
ABOUT THE SHARKS (24-14-6): Joe Thornton continued his scoring binge by finding the back of the net in his fourth straight game on Thursday after mustering just two points (one goal, one assists) in his previous seven. The 38-year-old is just one point shy of tying Bryan Trottier (1,425) for 16th place on the NHL's all-time list. Defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic has also been contributing on the offensive end, collecting six points (three goals, three assists) in his past eight games - including one of each versus the Avalanche.
OVERTIME
1. San Jose G Martin Jones has an .886 save percentage in his last 14 games.
2. Pittsburgh has thwarted 28 of its last 29 short-handed opportunities.
3. Sharks RW Timo Meier has scored seven goals in his last 19 games after mustering two in his previous 24.