Sharks at Ducks
THE STORY: If the San Jose Sharks do not make the playoffs for the first time since 2003, they could look back to three early season losses to the struggling Anaheim Ducks. The Sharks will try to stop their slide against the NHL’s second-worst team when they visit Anaheim on Wednesday. San Jose is one point behind Los Angeles in the Pacific Division, but has five games in hand. The Sharks sit ninth in the Western Conference, although they have played six fewer games than eighth-place Colorado and anywhere from two to five less than everyone else ahead of them. San Jose has won five of its last seven following a 3-2 shootout victory at Vancouver on Monday while Anaheim lost to Colorado 4-2 on Saturday. The Ducks are a remarkable 19 points out of a playoff spot, so trade season could start early in Anaheim, especially for Teemu Selanne.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, CS California (San Jose), FS Prime Ticket (Anaheim)
ABOUT THE SHARKS (20-11-4): San Jose will begin catching up to the rest of the league when it plays 13 games in the next 22 days leading up to the all-star break. Goaltender Antero Niittymaki, who has yet to play this season after off-season hip surgery, has returned to full practices and is backing up Antti Niemi along with Thomas Greiss. Defenseman Colin White has missed two games with a lower-body injury and did not accompany the team to Vancouver.
ABOUT THE DUCKS (10-21-6): Regarding a trade involving Selanne, general manager Bob Murray said: “No, he’s retiring a Duck and that’s the way it’s going to be. But the way he’s playing, why should he retire?’’ Murray’s right, so under those guidelines, Anaheim might be wise to trade him to a team hungry for a goal scorer – there are many – and bring him back so he can retire in an Anaheim uniform. Selanne leads the Ducks in assists (25) and points (36).
OVERTIME:
1. Logan Couture leads the Sharks with 16 goals and has four goals and eight points in his last eight games, but only has one goal in eight career games against Anaheim.
2. Anaheim has won four straight over San Jose dating back to last season, while goaltender Jonas Hiller has won five in a row against San Jose.