Capitals at Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are struggling to put the pieces together at SAP Center this season, and the home team could be left scratching its head once again as the NHL-leading Washington Capitals pay a visit on Saturday. San Jose's issues in front of its fans continued on Thursday as it dropped a 3-0 decision to New Jersey to begin a pronounced stretch of playing nine of its next 10 contests at home.
Several Sharks players recently told the San Jose Mercury News that the condition of the ice is an issue, but that doesn't entirely explain how the team has recorded a league-worst 27 points at home (12-15-3) while posting a 25-9-3 mark on the road. San Jose made itself at home in the nation's capital on Oct. 13, breezing to a 5-0 win over Washington as captain Alex Ovechkin sat out after reportedly oversleeping and missing the morning skate. Ovechkin might have been sleepwalking of late with just one goal and one assist in his previous six games before setting up a tally in the Capitals' 4-3 overtime setback to Los Angeles on Wednesday.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, CSN Washington-Plus, CSN California (San Jose)
ABOUT THE CAPITALS (49-13-5): Nicklas Backstrom and Evgeny Kuznetsov continued their respective torrid stretches as each notched an assist on Wednesday. Backstrom, who missed the teams' first meeting after offseason hip surgery, has recorded 30 points (eight goals, 22 assists) in his last 31 games overall and has 34 points (12 goals, 22 assists) in 33 road contests. Not to be outdone, Kuznetsov has 31 points (seven goals, 24 assists) in his last 26 games overall and 32 (10 goals, 22 assists) in 33 tilts away from the Verizon Center.
ABOUT THE SHARKS (37-24-6): Joe Thornton saw his six-game point streak end at the hands of the Devils, but the veteran forward traditionally has heated up against the Capitals. The 36-year-old Thornton scored in the first meeting and has 41 points (14 goals, 27 assists) in 40 career encounters with Washington. Martin Jones, who turned aside all 31 shots he faced in the first tilt with the Capitals, has yielded just 10 goals in his last six games overall.
OVERTIME
1. Washington has played in 12 consecutive games that have been decided by one goal (8-3-1).
2. Former Capitals RW Joel Ward has been held off the scoresheet in each of the last eight contests while playing with the Sharks.
3. Washington is the lone NHL team that has yet to lose two straight games in regulation.