Canucks at Sharks
While overtaking Pacific Division-leading Vegas remains their top priority, the San Jose Sharks also must focus on fending off some division rivals for second place. San Jose looks to maintain its hold on the position when it continues its three-game homestand Thursday against the Vancouver Canucks.
The Sharks, who trail the expansion Golden Knights by 10 points, are two ahead of Calgary and three in front of Los Angeles and Anaheim after dropping a 2-1 decision to visiting Arizona on Tuesday. Logan Couture leads the team with 23 goals but has scored only once over his last six contests. Vancouver is coming off its fifth loss in six games, a 4-3 home setback against Florida on Wednesday. Brock Boeser scored his 27th goal - tops among NHL rookies - while Bo Horvat collected three points for the Canucks, who enter Thursday having lost five of their last six on the road.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, Sportsnet Pacific (Vancouver), NBCS California (San Jose)
ABOUT THE CANUCKS (22-29-6): Alex Edler has 321 career points and needs one to snap a three-way tie with Jyrki Lumme and Dennis Kearns for second place on the franchise list among defensemen. The 31-year-old Swede trails Mattias Ohlund by four for the top spot in club history. Swedish blue-liner Philip Holm hopes to make his NHL debut Thursday after being a healthy scratch against the Panthers following his recall from Utica of the American Hockey League.
ABOUT THE SHARKS (30-19-8): Tomas Hertl, who is second on the team with 15 goals, likely will miss some time after suffering an apparent right arm injury against the Coyotes. The 24-year-old Czech is six tallies away from matching the career high he set in 2015-16 but has scored only once in his last nine games. Left wing Marcus Sorensen, who scored three goals in 18 games with the Sharks earlier this season, was recalled from the San Jose Barracuda while defenseman Tim Heed, center Danny O'Regan and left wing Brandon Mashinter were assigned to the American Hockey League club.
OVERTIME
1. The Sharks have lost four of their last five contests at home (1-3-1).
2. Vancouver signed GM Jim Benning, who assumed the role in May 2014, to a multi-year contract extension Wednesday.
3. San Jose LW Mikkel Boedker scored the team's goal Tuesday, ending his 10-game drought and putting him within two of his fifth straight season in double digits.