Stars at Sharks
The San Jose Sharks return home from an unsuccessful road trip to take on the Dallas Stars on Saturday. San Jose split the first two contests of its three-game trek before dropping a 4-1 decision at Los Angeles on Thursday. Patrick Marleau, who was playing in his 1,200th career game, helped the Sharks avoid being shut out for the second time this season as he scored with 2:10 remaining in the contest.
Dallas is coming off its second straight victory, a 4-1 triumph over Vancouver on Thursday. Erik Cole scored a goal and set up two others as the Stars posted consecutive wins for the first time since sweeping a three-game road trip in mid-November. Dallas posted a 4-3 shootout victory over San Jose at
home on Oct. 17, when Alex Chiasson set up Cody Eakin's tying goal before netting the lone tally in the bonus format.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TXA 21 (Dallas), CSN California (San Jose)
ABOUT THE STARS (17-12-5): Dallas hopes to find a way to jump-start its dismal power play before the holiday break. The Stars failed to score on four opportunities Thursday, dropping to 2-for-55 at home (league-worst 3.6 percent) and rank 29th overall with an 11.4 percent success rate. Kari Lehtonen registered his 100th win as a member of the Stars, becoming the seventh goaltender in franchise history to reach the plateau.
ABOUT THE SHARKS (21-8-6): San Jose is only 2-5-1 over its last eight contests but enters Saturday with a seven-game point streak at home (6-0-1). The Sharks haven't lost in their own building in regulation since dropping a 4-2 decision to Vancouver on Nov. 7. San Jose could be without Tomas Hertl as the rookie center suffered a lower-body injury on a knee-on-knee hit from Los Angeles captain Dustin Brown on Thursday late in the first period and did not return.
OVERTIME
1. The Stars are 7-2-1 against Pacific Division opponents.
2. San Jose C Logan Couture needs one goal and two assists to reach 100 for his career in each category.
3. Sharks D Scott Hannan returned to the lineup Thursday after a five-game absence due to an upper-body injury.