Senators at Sharks
San Jose Sharks center Logan Couture deemed himself ready to return to the ice on Wednesday as the San Jose Sharks wrap up their lengthy stay in the Golden State with a home game versus the Ottawa Senators. Couture took advantage of a four-day break in between games to alleviate discomfort in his surgically repaired right ankle by having a screw removed over the weekend.
"I tried to put my skate on today and it was still a little sore, so, we'll see in the next couple weeks," the 27-year-old Ontario native told the San Jose Mercury News. "I'm sure it’s going to feel a lot better once it settles down. But should be good. Good to go (Wednesday)." Couture has dealt with the pain by dishing out some of his own, scoring five goals and setting up two others in a seven-game stretch that has seen the Sharks post a 6-1-0 mark to move into a tie for first place in the Pacific Division. Ottawa has answered a four-game winning streak by dropping three of its last four, including an 8-5 decision at Pittsburgh to open a four-game road trip. Captain Erik Karlsson scored a goal and set up three others to record a career high-tying four-point performance in that tilt and has nine points (four goals, five assists) in nine outings versus San Jose.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TSN5, RDS (Ottawa), CSN California (San Jose)
ABOUT THE SENATORS (15-9-2): Mike Condon is expected to garner the majority of the time in the crease with Craig Anderson skipping the three-game trek through California to remain with his wife as she undergoes throat cancer treatment. The 26-year-old Condon owns a 3-1-1 mark with two shutouts and a 1.62 goals-against average since being acquired from the Penguins, although he struggled in his lone career start versus San Jose (six goals on 36 shots). Mike Hoffman has had no such trouble with the Sharks by scoring three goals and setting up four others in four contests while collecting five goals and three assists during his current five-game point streak.
ABOUT THE SHARKS (15-9-1): Brent Burns is a popular figure in hockey circles, complete with his wild beard and engaging personality, so perhaps it's no surprise that the colorful defenseman found himself in second place in the initial voting results for the 2017 NHL All-Star Game. The 31-year-old scored his fourth goal in seven games during San Jose's 2-1 victory over Montreal on Saturday and paces the Sharks in tallies (10) while his 22 points are one shy of Joe Pavelski for the club lead. Speaking of the captain, Pavelski scored and set up a goal versus the Canadiens and has three tallies and six assists in his last nine contests.
OVERTIME
1. Ottawa has scored seven power-play goals in the last five games after tallying just twice with the man advantage in the previous 10.
2. San Jose can sing a similar tune as it has scored five power-play goals in its last seven after netting just two in its previous nine.
3. Ottawa recalled F Phil Varone and G Andrew Hammond from Binghamton of the American Hockey League with Anderson and F Curtis Lazar (upper body) heading back to Canada's capital city.