Sharks at Canucks
Joe Thornton looks to make history as the veteran forward needs two assists to reach 1,000 for his career on Saturday when the visiting San Jose Sharks and Vancouver Canucks face off at Rogers Arena in their returns from their respective league-mandated breaks. The 37-year-old Thornton has six multi-assist performances this season and has gashed the Canucks for 64 points - including 48 assists - in 56 career regular-season games.
"It's neat. It's something I don't think growing up or even playing so many years you realize you're going to hit this milestone," Thornton told CSN Bay Area of possibly becoming the 13th player to reach 1,000 assists. Vancouver has already been on the wrong end of one milestone against San Jose as Patrick Marleau became the 45th player in NHL history to score his 500th career goal in San Jose's 4-1 win on Feb. 2. The Canucks have dropped eight of their last 11 and are battling a foe of a different kind - the mumps. Troy Stecher is the lone player with a confirmed result but Chris Tanev, Nikita Tryamkin, Mike Chaput and Markus Granlund have each presented symptoms, general manager Jim Benning said in a statement.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, CSN California (San Jose), CBC, SN1 (Vancouver)
ABOUT THE SHARKS (35-18-7): Defenseman Brent Burns scored and set up a goal in the first encounter versus Vancouver as part of six multi-point performances in his last 10 games. The 31-year-old entered the break with five goals and two assists during his four-game point streak and leads the team in the primary offensive categories (27 goals, 37 assists, 64 points). Chris Tierney scored twice in the first meeting with the Canucks for his lone points in his last 16 games.
ABOUT THE CANUCKS (26-28-6): Benning ruled out four of the five players for Saturday's tilt and deemed Tanev questionable for the contest for Vancouver, which promptly recalled right wing Alexandre Grenier and defenseman Evan McEneny from Utica of the American Hockey League. "We're taking this very seriously given how easily mumps can spread," Benning said. Vancouver Coastal Health authorities were on hand at Rogers Arena on Friday to screen players and staff, and issue immunizations if necessary.
OVERTIME
1. Vancouver C Bo Horvat (team-leading 18 goals, 40 points) rebounded from a minus-2 rating in his game versus San Jose to record four goals and four assists in his last eight contests.
2. Sharks G Martin Jones made 32 saves in the first meeting with the Canucks to improve to 3-1-0 with a 1.76 GAA in his career versus the club.
3. Vancouver is 0-for-12 on the power play in the last four games after scoring with the man advantage in each of its previous five.