Sharks at Blue Jackets
THE STORY: The San Jose Sharks' season-high nine-game road trip
continues Tuesday when they take on the Columbus Blue Jackets. San Jose
looks to avoid its first four-game losing streak of the campaign as it
attempts to complete a sweep of its four-game season series with
Columbus. The Sharks, who are 1-3-1 on their trek, outscored the Blue
Jackets 10-2 in winning the first three meetings. Columbus has lost four
of six overall and three of four at home.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, CS California (Sharks), FS Ohio (Blue Jackets)
ABOUT THE SHARKS (31-19-7):
Defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic is questionable after being hit in the
face with the puck in the third period of Sunday's loss at Detroit.
Vlasic, who received a cut near his nose, left the game and did not
return. Fellow blueliner Douglas Murray's status also is in doubt as he
has missed two straight contests with what is being termed a broken
Adam's apple Thursday against Tampa Bay. "What the doctors have told me,
they call it prime real estate," Murray said. "There's not a lot of
room there, so any type of swelling becomes a major thing, though it's
nothing major right now." San Jose has won four consecutive meetings
with Columbus and is 6-1-1 in the last eight.
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (17-35-7):
Columbus' league-worst penalty-killing unit will be put to the test as
it faces the third-best power play in the NHL. The Blue Jackets have
successfully killed only 75.8 percent of their penalties while the
Sharks have converted 21.1 percent of their man-advantage opportunities.
Antoine Vermette will be playing in his 600th career game. Defenseman
Nikita Nikitin is expected back in the lineup after missing 12 contests
with a left knee injury.
OVERTIME:
1. San Jose's Patrick Marleau has registered two of his seven game-winning goals this season against Columbus.
2. The Blue Jackets have scored three goals or less in each of their last 14 games.
3. The Sharks have lost eight of their last 10 road contests (2-6-2).