Sharks at Rangers
While the New York Rangers aren't setting the world on fire, Rick Nash has blazed quite the trail to start the season. After scoring an NHL-best six goals in addition to the shootout winner in his last game, Nash looks to continue his hot hand when the Rangers host the San Jose Sharks on Sunday. "He's hot right now," Derick Brassard said of Nash. "I've known him for a long time and as soon as I saw him in the first practice, I knew he meant business."
Nash doesn't have fond memories of the Sharks, against whom he suffered a concussion in a 9-2 rout on Oct. 8, 2013 that caused him to miss the following six weeks. San Jose has started this campaign with a flourish and answered a 4-3 shootout loss to the New York Islanders on Thursday with a 4-2 victory over New Jersey two nights later. Logan Couture, who scored a goal and set up two others versus the Devils, also netted the lone tally in the Sharks' 1-0 victory against the Rangers on March 16.
TV: 5 p.m. ET, CSN California (San Jose), MSG (New York)
ABOUT THE SHARKS (4-0-1): Patrick Marleau has no qualms about getting out of the blocks in a hurry. Marleau, who scored his fourth goal in five games on Saturday, opened last season with seven tallies in his first eight contests and began 2012-13 by netting nine during a five-game goal-scoring streak. Antti Niemi, who made 35 saves against New Jersey, stopped all 41 shots versus the Rangers in the latter meeting to improve to 2-1-1 lifetime against the club.
ABOUT THE RANGERS (2-3-0): Kevin Hayes found himself in an interesting position in New York's 2-1 victory over Carolina on Thursday, centering a line with Nash and former Boston College teammate Chris Kreider. "Playing with two guys like this is pretty unbelievable," the Hobey Baker Award finalist told the team's web site. "Certainly playing with 'Kreids' again is obviously awesome. We succeeded in college, so hopefully that carries over. I'm like a little kid in a candy store, really, to be able to be out there with those two." Rookie Anthony Duclair will be scratched on Sunday and replaced in the lineup by Chris Mueller, who was recalled from Hartford of the American Hockey League.
OVERTIME
1. San Jose D Brent Burns has collected one goal and six assists during his five-game point streak.
2. New York G Henrik Lundqvist rebounded after yielding six goals in each of his previous two contests to stop 29-of-30 shots versus the Hurricanes. Lundqvist fell in both meetings with the Sharks last season, getting pulled in the first encounter before suffering a hard-luck setback the other.
3. The Sharks have outscored the opposition 7-0 in the first period this season.