Flames at Sharks
The San Jose Sharks look to continue their rise in the Western Conference and improve their unimpressive home record when the Calgary Flames pay them a visit on Thursday. The Sharks won at Chicago 2-0 on Tuesday to gain at least one point for the 12th time in their last 14 games (10-2-2) but own just a 10-12-2 record on home ice.
Captain Joe Pavelski, who tops the team in goals (25) and points (52), told reporters, “We’re playing a good team game right now,” as the Sharks trail Pacific Division-leading Los Angeles by seven points and sit one ahead of Anaheim. Calgary is nine points behind San Jose despite winning three of its last four contests after edging Toronto 4-3 on Tuesday without leading scorers Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan, who were scratched for disciplinary reasons. “They didn’t rob a bank,” Flames coach Bob Hartley told reporters Tuesday. “They made a mistake, and tonight, they paid for it.” Gaudreau and Monahan are expected to return to the lineup against the Sharks.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, Sportsnet 360 (Calgary), CSN California (San Jose)
ABOUT THE FLAMES (24-25-3): Lance Bouma also was suspended along with fellow forwards Gaudreau and Monahan as Calgary scored on four of its 22 shots Tuesday. Gaudreau tops the team in goals (21) and points (49) while Monahan is second in both categories (16, 35) after scoring twice and notching four assists in his last three contests. Captain Mark Giordano leads an active defense with 12 goals to go along with 33 points while fellow blue-liner TJ Brodie has registered 25 assists.
ABOUT THE SHARKS (28-20-4): Veteran center Joe Thornton has scored in three consecutive games and totaled five points in that span, including a late tally to seal Tuesday’s victory. Thornton has recorded 46 points overall – second on the team behind Pavelski – and All-Star defenseman Brent Burns has notched 44 but has been held off the scoresheet in three consecutive games. Blue-liner Brenden Dillon left Tuesday's contest with an upper-body injury and his status for Thursday is uncertain.
OVERTIME
1. Calgary LW Jiri Hudler has recorded four points in his last four games and is one shy of 400 for his career.
2. San Jose LW Patrick Marleau scored his 472nd career goal Tuesday, pulling within one of Denis Savard and Alexander Mogilny for 52nd place on the all-time list.
3. Flames G Karri Ramo has allowed two or fewer goals in four straight contests but is 1-3-0 in that stretch and 17-18-1 on the season.