Sharks at Canucks
The San Jose Sharks looked as though they would cruise to the Pacific Division crown midway through last month but a few weeks later are barely holding on to third place with four games left. The Sharks attempt to stop the bleeding during a puzzling 1-8-0 stretch when they visit the struggling Vancouver Canucks on Sunday night for the opener of a home-and-home set.
“We know we’re a better team that the record indicates,” San Jose coach Pete DeBoer told reporters after a 5-2 loss at Calgary on Friday. “It was only two weeks ago we were playing some great hockey, and we did for a long time. It’s fixable. We’ve just got to get back at it.” The Sharks managed only 11 goals in the eight losses during their slump, scoring no more than two in a game in the setbacks, and third-leading scorer Logan Couture could miss his third straight game after getting hit in the mouth with the puck. Vancouver may be the right opponent at the right time for San Jose as the Canucks own two wins in their last 12 contests (2-8-2) and scored twice in the past three games. Forward Brock Boeser, a 2015 first-round pick, scored twice in four games since being signed and had a career-best five shots in Vancouver’s 2-0 loss to Los Angeles on Friday.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, CSN California Plus (San Jose), Sportsnet (Vancouver)
ABOUT THE SHARKS (43-28-7): Goalie Martin Jones allowed 21 goals in the last five games, including four on 22 shots before being pulled following the second period Friday, while the power play is 5-for-35 in a 12-game span. “It’s a combination - we’re not finishing for our goalies, and we’re not getting a big save at the right time,” DeBoer told reporters. “That’s a recipe for disaster, I don’t care what league you’re in.” Leading scorer Brent Burns (73 points) was held off the scoresheet despite six shots Friday and captain Joe Pavelski (67) has points in three straight.
ABOUT THE CANUCKS (30-38-9): Boeser, from North Dakota, was joined in the lineup by Western Michigan’s Griffen Molino on Friday after the forward was recently signed as a free agent. Forward Bo Horvat, who leads the team with 20 goals and 50 points, was limited to five assists over the last 12 games while veteran twins Henrik Sedin (45 points, none in his last four) and Daniel Sedin (40, none in five) cooled off. Troy Stecher (upper-body) returned to the lineup Friday after missing one game and fellow defenseman Alexander Edler is one point from 300 for his career.
OVERTIME
1. San Jose Fs Joonas Donskoi and Joel Ward were scratched Friday while in the midst of point droughts of 15 and eight games, respectively.
2. The Canucks are 29th in the league in scoring (2.19) and in the same spot on the power play (13.9 percent).
3. The Sharks won all three meetings this season, allowing one goal in each.