Sharks at Predators
The San Jose Sharks attempt to continue their surge toward the top of the Pacific Division when they visit the Nashville Predators on Saturday. San Jose went 8-0-2 over its final 10 games in January and began this month by splitting the first two contests of its four-game road trip to climb within seven points of Los Angeles for the top spot in the Pacific.
Joe Thornton has been an offensive force since the middle of December, registering six goals and 20 assists in 21 games while being kept off the scoresheet only twice in that span. Thornton and the Sharks resume their trek in the Music City, where the Predators have struggled of late. Nashville lost two of its three games at Bridgestone Arena last month before kicking off its four-game homestand to start February with a pair of defeats. The Predators posted a 2-1 victory at San Jose in the first meeting of the season on Oct. 28, with Calle Jarnkrok snapping a tie 8:52 into the third period.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, CSN California (San Jose), FSN Tennessee (Nashville)
ABOUT THE SHARKS (27-19-4): Martin Jones leads the league with 15 road victories and is 8-1-1 with a 1.97 goals-against average in his last 10 games overall. All-Star defenseman Brent Burns is two away from reaching the 20-goal plateau for the second time in his career but is mired in a 10-game drought. Captain Joe Pavelski, who has collected three tallies and five assists over his last six contests, has hit the 25-goal mark for the third straight season and sixth time in his 10 NHL campaigns.
ABOUT THE PREDATORS (24-20-8): Ryan Johansen is averaging a point per game since being acquired from Columbus, recording four goals - three on the power play - and eight assists in 12 contests. All-Star James Neal scored at least 21 goals in each of his first seven NHL seasons and is three away from making eight in a row after tallying twice in his last eight games. Defenseman Anthony Bitetto has appeared in seven contests each of the last two seasons but has yet to register his first career point.
OVERTIME
1. The Sharks own the best road record in the Western Conference at 17-7-2.
2. Nashville captain Shea Weber has scored 10 of his 13 goals on the power play.
3. San Jose is 19-0-2 when leading after two periods.