Avalanche at Sharks
The San Jose Sharks have punched their ticket to the playoffs despite being knocked around for four straight losses while the Colorado Avalanche are fading down the stretch as they bid to join the postseason party. The Sharks aim to improve their postseason standing on Thursday against the visiting Avalanche, who have dropped four of their last five.
San Jose answered a season-high eight-game winning streak by allowing 15 goals during an 0-3-1 stretch as they bid to fend off its California rivals for second place in the Pacific Division. "We're fighting for home ice in the first round here. We have to dial it up. You can't coast for very long in the NHL and win hockey games," said Logan Couture, who scored his career-high 33rd goal in Tuesday's 4-2 setback to Dallas. Colorado has dropped two straight to put its postseason plans in peril, as it resides one point ahead of St. Louis prior to Saturday's season finale versus the visiting Blues on Saturday. Jonathan Bernier, who has lost both outings since Semyon Varlamov (lower body) was lost for the season, turned aside 83 of 87 shots to win both meetings this season against San Jose.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, Altitude (Colorado), NBCS California-Plus (San Jose)
ABOUT THE AVALANCHE (42-29-9): Nathan MacKinnon has been held off the scoresheet in four of six outings after erupting for 13 goals and 14 assists during his career-high 14-game point streak. The potential Hart Trophy candidate looks to get back on track versus San Jose, against which he scored two goals and set up another in a 4-3 win on Jan. 18 to boost his point total to 13 (nine goals, four assists) in 12 encounters. Fellow forward Alexander Kerfoot has scored in back-to-back outings to give him two goals and two assists during his three-game point streak.
ABOUT THE SHARKS (24-12-3): Timo Meier scored his career-high 20th goal on Tuesday to extend his point streak to three games, but San Jose fell back on its heels and saw a two-goal advantage go by the boards in its last outing. "This has got to be a lesson for us. You got to learn out of this as quick as possible and move on. A thing like that can't happen again," the 21-year-old Swiss said. Former Norris Trophy winner Brent Burns set up two goals versus the Stars to give him 11 points (one goal, 10 assists) in his last 11 games.
OVERTIME
1. Colorado RW Mikko Rantanen, who scored a goal and set up two others in the last meeting versus San Jose, has been held off the scoresheet in five of his last six outings.
2. The Sharks thwarted all 20 short-handed situations over their last 12 home games.
3. The Avalanche's third-ranked penalty kill has killed all six power plays in the last four contests overall and is 9-for-9 this season versus San Jose.