The San Jose Sharks attempt to complete a perfect seven-game homestand and extend their overall winning streak to a season-high eight games when they take on the Pacific Division-rival Dallas Stars on Sunday afternoon. San Jose began the lockout-shortened campaign with seven straight victories before hitting a rough patch during which it went 6-11-6. The Sharks concluded a five-game road trip on March 25 with a 5-3 win over the Ducks in Anaheim and defeated each of their first six opponents on the homestand, most recently rallying in the third period for a 2-1 triumph over the Calgary Flames on Friday.
Dallas will face a team other than Anaheim for the first time in a week after salvaging the finale of a rare three-game series against the Pacific-leading Ducks on Friday. Eric Nystrom snapped a first-period tie with a short-handed goal and Alex Chiasson added insurance in the final minute of the session with his first career tally as the Stars ended a three-game losing streak. Despite being division rivals, the Sharks and Stars have met just once during conference-only play this season, with Dallas posting a 3-1 home triumph on Feb. 23. Beginning Sunday, the teams face off three times over their final 11 contests.
TV: 4 p.m. ET, NHL Network, FSN Southwest (Dallas), CSN Plus California (San Jose)
ABOUT THE STARS (17-17-3): Lane MacDermid is doing his best to make Dallas fans forget the player for whom he was traded. Acquired from the Boston Bruins as part of the package for Jaromir Jagr, MacDermid has scored in each of his first two games with the Stars. The 23-year-old left wing, who is the son of former NHL forward Paul MacDermid, failed to record a point in eight games with Boston over the last two seasons. "I thought he was supposed to be tough, but apparently he's a goal scorer," Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said. In 34 contests with Dallas, Jagr registered 14 goals and 26 points - still team highs, although Jamie Benn is two points away from claiming the lead. All hope is not lost regarding the postseason as the Stars climbed within five points of the St. Louis Blues for eighth place in the Western Conference with Friday's victory. However, there are four teams standing between the Stars and Blues, and St. Louis has a game in hand.
ABOUT THE SHARKS (20-11-6): Joe Pavelski has been a key contributor during San Jose's current winning streak. He scored in each of the first four victories and netted his third game-winning goal of the run on Friday against Calgary. Prior to the streak, Pavelski had gone 10 games without a tally and scored just once in 18 contests. The Sharks' trade-deadline acquisitions have yet to make their debuts with the club. Raffi Torres was not in the lineup on Friday as coach Todd McLellan apparently did not want to disrupt the chemistry among the forwards, although the left wing also was recovering from a minor illness. Meanwhile, defenseman Scott Hannan still is sidelined with an upper-body injury. The veteran has not played since March 17. The Sharks, who are a league-best 14-1-4 in their own building, are battling for home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs. They enter Sunday one point behind division rival Los Angeles for fourth place in the Western Conference.
OVERTIME
1. San Jose has won four straight home meetings with Dallas, outscoring the Stars 19-4.
2. MacDermid may not get a chance to extend his goal-scoring streak as he exited Friday's game early in the second period with an upper-body injury. He did not return.
3. Sharks D Dan Boyle scored his seventh goal on Friday - but just his second at even strength. Four of his five power-play tallies have come during two-man advantages.
PREDICTION: Sharks 4, Stars 2