Wild at Sharks
The San Jose Sharks have skyrocketed up the ranks in the Pacific Division on the strength of their longest point streak in nearly two years. Riding high on a 6-0-1 stretch, the Sharks look to continue that momentum on Saturday when they host the Minnesota Wild.
Chris Tierney has contributed offensively during that run, collecting three goals and four assists to nearly double his total point output for the season. The 21-year-old Tierney matched his rookie season goal total with his sixth on Thursday as San Jose moved into a tie for second place in the Pacific Division with Vancouver following a 3-1 victory over Arizona. Minnesota snapped a five-game skid by blanking Pacific-leading Los Angeles 3-0 on Thursday. Darcy Kuemper made 32 saves against the Kings and also turned aside all 25 shots he faced in the Wild's 2-0 victory over the Sharks on Dec. 12.
TV: 4 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), CSN California (San Jose)
ABOUT THE WILD (23-16-8): Zach Parise ended his team's 0-for-25 power-play drought by scoring with the man advantage on Thursday. "I think we really needed (the win) for our own psyche," said the 31-year-old Parise, whose team-leading 17th tally was his fifth game-winner of the season. Parise scored and set up a goal in the initial meeting with San Jose and captain Mikko Koivu sealed the win with an empty-net tally.
ABOUT THE SHARKS (24-18-3): Brent Burns looks to regain his scoring touch as he has mustered just one point in his last four games after recording 17 (eight goals, nine assists) in his previous 11. The former Wild star has posted 10 points in 14 career encounters against the team that selected him with the 20th overall pick of the 2003 draft. Martin Jones, who made 28 saves in the last meeting with Minnesota, turned aside 23 shots versus the Coyotes to improve to 5-0-0 with a 1.76 goals-against average in his last five starts.
OVERTIME
1. Minnesota has killed off 19-of-21 power plays in January.
2. San Jose has dropped seven of 10 meetings (3-6-1) versus Central Division foes.
3. The Wild have posted a 6-3-2 record against Pacific Division representatives this season.