Canucks at Sharks
Familiarity is breeding success for the San Jose Sharks, who will look to knock off the Vancouver Canucks for the third time in seven days when the Pacific Division rivals complete a home-and-home series Saturday night in northern California. San Jose posted its NHL-leading 23rd road victory with a come-from-behind 3-2 win in Vancouver on Thursday night.
The Sharks also netted four third-period goals in a 4-1 at Vancouver on Sunday and has outscored opponents 9-0 over the final 20 minutes during their three-game winning streak. "We have done it a few times now, so we know we can do it," said forward Patrick Marleau, who had the decisive tally in Thursday's win. "You don't want to be toying with it that many times. We play a certain way we know we are going to get our chances. It's just a matter of burying those chances and sticking with it." While San Jose is four points behind division co-leaders Los Angeles and Anaheim, the skidding Canucks are 10 points out of the final playoff slot in the Western Conference. Vancouver has dropped three in a row and seven of nine (2-7-0).
TV: 10 p.m. ET, CBC, RSN (Vancouver), CSN California (San Jose)
ABOUT THE CANUCKS (24-27-12): Rookie forward Jake Virtanen had a quiet start to his NHL career by scoring twice in his first 28 games, but he is coming on with four tallies over the past 10 games, including a goal and an assist in Thursday's loss. "I'm feeling confident each and every game," Virtanen said. "We're going to have to find that group confidence as well." Canucks general manager Jim Benning said the team is in negotiations with 6-foot-8, 230-pound defenseman Nikita Tryamkin, a third-round draft pick in 2014 who just finished his season in the Kontinental Hockey League.
ABOUT THE SHARKS (35-22-6): Goaltender James Reimer, who was acquired along with forward Jeremy Morin from the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday, will make his debut for San Jose after Martin Jones had started the past 10 games. “It’s the trade deadline, so anything can happen,” said Reimer, who was 11-12-7 with a 2.49 goals-against average for Toronto. “It was a little surprised when I got moved. Not shocked, but surprised. I was real excited when I heard I was coming here.” Tomas Hertl has scored in each of the last two wins versus Vancouver and has six goals in his last 10 games.
OVERTIME
1. Sharks F Joe Thornton has amassed 44 points over his last 33 games.
2. The Canucks have won four in a row at San Jose, part of a trend that has seen the away team prevail in the last 10 matchups.
3. San Jose has killed off all five short-handed situations over the past four games.