Wild at Sharks
The San Jose Sharks continue their final homestand of the season Thursday, when they host the Minnesota Wild. San Jose began its four-game stretch at HP Pavilion with a 3-2 shootout triumph over the Pacific Division-rival Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday. With the win, the Sharks pulled even in points with the Kings, but Los Angeles kept hold on fourth place in the Western Conference as it owns the tiebreaker.
Minnesota is right on San Jose's heels as it trails the fifth-place Sharks by two points. With fourth place and home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs within reach, the Wild also are in danger of slipping down the standings as they are just one point ahead of the seventh-place St. Louis Blues. Minnesota is wrapping up its three-game road trip that began with victories over the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, NHL Network, FSN North, FSN Wisconsin (Minnesota), CSN California (San Jose)
ABOUT THE WILD (24-16-3): Kyle Brodziak's two-goal performance in Tuesday's victory was the 10th of his career and first since Dec. 10, 2011 against the Phoenix Coyotes. Minnesota assigned Josh Harding to Houston of the American Hockey League for conditioning. The 28-year-old goaltender went 1-1-0 with a 2.92 goals-against average and one shutout in four games before being placed on injured reserve to receive treatment for multiple sclerosis.
ABOUT THE SHARKS (23-13-7): Tuesday's victory was San Jose's league-leading eighth shootout triumph. Antti Niemi tops all goaltenders in shootout wins as he was in net for all eight of the Sharks' victories. Defenseman Scott Hannan appeared in his first game for San Jose since being acquired from the Nashville Predators at the trade deadline. Hannan, who was drafted 23rd overall by the Sharks in 1997 and spent his first eight NHL seasons with San Jose, had not played since March 17 due to a neck injury. Hannan registered one shot on goal and blocked another while finishing with a plus-1 rating in 17:39 of ice time.
OVERTIME
1. The home team has won each of the last four games in the all-time series and nine of the last 10.
2. San Jose is 10-2-1 over its last 13 contests.
3. Minnesota has won four of the last five overall meetings with the Sharks but only one of its last seven visits to San Jose.
PREDICTION: Sharks 4, Wild 1