Ducks at Sharks
The Anaheim Ducks had an October to forget, losing nine of their 10 games (1-7-2), but appear poised to have a November to remember as they visit the San Jose Sharks on Saturday. Anaheim, which fell one game short of reaching the Stanley Cup Final last season, defeated Columbus 4-2 on Friday for its third straight victory while welcoming back captain Ryan Getzlaf, who recorded three assists in his return from a four-game absence due to an appendectomy on Oct. 28.
After totaling 10 goals in their first 10 games, the Ducks have exploded for 11 during their winning streak - with Patrick Maroon scoring his first of the season Friday after rejoining the top line with Getzlaf and Corey Perry, who also notched three assists against Columbus after recording his first goal of 2015-16 on Wednesday. San Jose has won two of its last three games and split the first two contests of a four-game homestand, the last a 5-2 victory over Florida on Thursday. Patrick Marleau took a dip into the Fountain of Youth to score his 460th career goal and needs three points to become the first player to record 1,000 with the Sharks. "I thought he was flying (Thursday)," coach Peter DeBoer said of the 36-year-old. "... I thought he just had fantastic legs. He was everywhere and played a great game for us."
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, FSN West (Anaheim), CSN California (San Jose)
ABOUT THE DUCKS (4-7-2): Getzlaf, who entered Friday with one assist, and Ryan Kesler still are looking for their first goals, while the latter is a team-worst minus-10. Rickard Rakell did not play Friday because of an upper-body injury, which forced him out of Wednesday's game and prevented him from skating on Thursday and Friday. Defenseman Josh Manson (upper body) returned Friday after missing six games and scored his first career goal while playing 19 minutes, 38 seconds.
ABOUT THE SHARKS (7-6-0): Captain Joe Pavelski (team bests of eight goals and 13 points) did not score Thursday in his bid to tie a team record with a goal in six straight games, but he recorded an assist to extend his point streak to seven contests. Martin Jones (6-4-0, 2.16 goals-against average, .923 save percentage) is expected to start and is 2-2-0, 1.73, .934 in four games versus Anaheim. Joe Thornton has notched a team-best eight assists and is one of 82 players in history to record 1,000 points as he is 35th on the all-time list with 1,269 - including 815 with San Jose after begin acquired from Boston during the 2005-06 season.
OVERTIME
1. The Sharks are 0-for-15 on the power play at home this season.
2. Anaheim, which is 0-5-1 on the road, leads the NHL in penalty-killing (40-for-44) while San Jose has converted only 5-of-38 power-play chances.
3. The Sharks defeated the Ducks 2-0 on Oct. 10 - Anaheim's season opener - and have won three straight meetings.