Jets at Sharks
The San Jose Sharks host the Winnipeg Jets on Monday afternoon in a matchup of two teams looking to shake off recent struggles. The Sharks have lost two in a row and are 2-4-1 in their last seven games after seeing Joe Thornton get ejected in an ugly 4-0 home loss to St. Louis on Saturday, while the Jets have dropped straight and are 1-3-1 in their last five after suffering a 3-2 overtime loss at Los Angeles.
The Sharks have struggled lately on special teams, scoring just once in their last 13 power-play opportunities and failing to convert on a 5-on-3 advantage early in the second period Saturday before St. Louis took control. “That’s a game-changing moment,” San Jose coach Peter DeBoer told reporters. “That’s something that we have to cash in on.” Winnipeg coach Paul Maurice, who blasted his team’s effort in Wednesday’s home loss to Montreal, was pleased with the Jets’ showing Saturday despite the fact they squandered a 2-1 lead with six minutes remaining in regulation. “The compete was right, the battle was right,” Maurice told reporters. “We played right tonight.”
TV: 4 p.m. ET, TSN3 (Winnipeg), CSN California (San Jose)
ABOUT THE JETS (20-22-4): Michael Hutchinson drew the start in net Saturday in place of the struggling Connor Hellebuyck, stopping 35-of-38 shots as Winnipeg – which entered Sunday tied with Philadelphia for most goals allowed in the NHL (139) – played better defensively. Drew Stafford has recorded two goals and three assists in his last five games. Stafford and defenseman Dustin Byfuglien each scored power-play goals Saturday, the first time in eight contests the Jets have scored twice with the man advantage.
ABOUT THE SHARKS (25-16-2): San Jose has allowed the fourth-fewest goals in the NHL (100) but has surrendered 18 in its last five games. Mikkel Boedker has registered four goals and two assists in his last six contests, including a hat trick Tuesday at Edmonton. Thornton, who has scored only two goals in 43 games after recording 19 a season ago, drew a game misconduct for spearing St. Louis' Paul Stastny midway through Saturday’s loss.
OVERTIME
1. Sharks RW Joonas Donskoi missed his first game of the season Saturday due to an upper-body injury.
2. Jets rookie RW Patrik Laine, who has scored 21 goals in 42 games, remains sidelined with a concussion.
3. San Jose Ds David Schlemko (upper body) and Paul Martin (lower body) returned the lineup Saturday.