Flames at Sharks
The San Jose Sharks return home after a 3-1-0 road trip vaulted them to the top of the Pacific and face the Calgary Flames on Tuesday, kicking off a stretch in which they play three straight division games. San Jose finished the trek with a 4-1 loss to Chicago on Sunday, prompting Joe Pavelski to tell reporters: "It's a nice stretch, for sure, but you get the three (wins) … you want the four. That's just the way it is. ... You'd like to end the road trip with a win, for sure."
San Jose began the trip by sweeping through Ontario and Quebec with shootout victories over Toronto and Ottawa, and a regulation decision over Montreal when it chased Carey Price by scoring four goals in 21:44. The Sharks are 10-4-0 since splitting their first 18 games (9-8-1) and continue to receive solid goaltending from Martin Jones and backup Aaron Dell as the offense began to find its way with 13 goals during a four-game winning streak prior to Sunday. Calgary won the first of five meetings this season 3-2 on Nov. 3 as Matthew Tkachuk broke a 2-2 tie with 4:21 remaining, marking the fourth straight game in the series won by the visiting team. The Flames snapped a two-game losing streak with a 4-2 victory over Arizona on Monday for their sixth consecutive victory versus the Western Conference.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, Sportsnet West (Calgary), CSN California (San Jose)
ABOUT THE FLAMES (17-15-2): The red-hot power-play unit erupted for a season-high three goals Monday and is 12-for-28 in the last eight games, scoring at least one with the man advantage in all nine December contests. Troy Brouwer recorded a goal and an assist Monday for the second time in three games while Johnny Gaudreau extended his point streak to eight contests with an assist and has two goals and nine assists in seven December games since returning from a broken finger. Chad Johnson (13-6-1, 2.22 goals-against average, .924 save percentage) is expected to play Tuesday after Brian Elliott made 25 saves Monday.
ABOUT THE SHARKS (19-12-1): Pavelski scored Sunday for his third goal in four games, increasing his season total 11. Pavelski's 28 points are second on the club to defenseman Brent Burns (30), who has four goals and five assists during a nine-game point streak that encompasses every game in December. Melker Karlsson, who left Sunday's game in the third period after falling to the ice and taking an inadvertent elbow to the head, is questionable to play Tuesday.
OVERTIME
1. Burns' 13 goals lead NHL defenseman by a wide margin as Anaheim's Cam Fowler is second with nine.
2. Calgary was 4-for-50 on the power play in its first 15 games this season.
3. Jones (16-11-1, 2.13, .919), who is 4-2-0 lifetime against the Flames, is expected to start in goal.