Blackhawks at Sharks
The Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks continue their respective lengthy stretches when they face off at SAP Center on Saturday. Chicago is halfway into its season-high seven-game road trip as it improved to 2-1-0 on the trek with a 4-1 triumph at Anaheim on Friday. All-Star Patrick Kane scored two goals and set up another while Patrick Sharp collected four assists as the Blackhawks evened their mark this month at 6-6-0.
San Jose also is coming off a victory over the league-leading Ducks that raised its record to 3-1-1 on its season-best seven-game homestand. Patrick Marleau, James Sheppard and rookie Barclay Goodrow each recorded a goal and an assist in Thursday's 6-3 win as the Sharks completed their season series versus Anaheim with a 4-0-1 mark. Chicago posted a 5-2 victory over San Jose on Nov. 9 as captain Jonathan Toews registered a goal and an assist while 13 other Blackhawks notched one point apiece.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, RSN, CSN Chicago, CSN California (San Jose)
ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (31-16-2): Kane's three-point performance Friday - his third in nine games - raised his season total to 56, putting him two behind Philadelphia's Jakub Voracek for the league lead. Sharp's four-assist effort was the third of his career and pushed his point total with Chicago to 498 - moving him past Eric Nesterenko for 15th place on the franchise list. Both Kane and Sharp have registered nine points in the last five games.
ABOUT THE SHARKS (26-17-6): Joe Thornton notched a pair of assists Thursday to increase his career point total to 1,233, putting him ahead of Phil Housley for 37th place on the all-time list. The 35-year-old is seven points away from passing Peter Stastny for 36th and trails Dale Hawerchuk (891) by 10 for 20th in career assists. Joe Pavelski scored his 13th power-play goal of the season against Anaheim, tying him with Washington's Alex Ovechkin for the NHL lead.
OVERTIME
1. Chicago All-Star D Duncan Keith's goal on Friday was his 400th career point.
2. Pavelski and Kane are tied for fifth in the league with 25 goals apiece.
3. Marleau has registered a goal and an assist in each of his last two contests and two points in three of his last four games.