Programming note: Sharks-Avalanche coverage gets underway at 5:30 p.m. with Sharks Pregame Live on Comcast SportsNet California
Where they stand
Sharks: 5-4-1, 11 points, 4th Pacific Division
Avalanche: 2-4-3, 7 points, 6th Central Division
The latest
Sharks: San Jose played what was probably its best game to date, ending a four-game losing streak with a convincing 4-1 win in Anaheim on Sunday. The Sharks ended the Ducks’ seven-game winning streak in a game that featured 165 combined penalty minutes. Brent Burns, Joe Pavelski, Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Tommy Wingels were the goal-scorers for the Sharks, who got 33 saves from Antti Niemi. After tonight, the Sharks’ visit Minnesota on Thursday to complete a three-game road trip.
Avalanche: It’s been a struggle out of the gate for the Avalanche, who were the NHL’s biggest pleasant surprise in 2013-14 with 52 wins and 112 points. Colorado has won just once in its last six games (1-2-3), and dropped a 2-1 overtime decision in Winnipeg two days ago. Jamie McGinn scored the Avs’ only goal, and Semyon Varlamov took the loss in net with 26 saves.
Keep an eye on…
Sharks: Brent Burns. The Sharks’ wild man leads all NHL defensemen with 11 points, and brings a four-game point streak into tonight’s game (2g, 2a). Burns scored his 100th career goal in Anaheim on Sunday, and has failed to register a point in just one of the Sharks’ first 10 games. He leads the team with 23 minutes and 13 seconds of ice time per game.
Avalanche: Nathan Mackinnon. The 2014 Calder Trophy winner has yet to find the back of the net this season though nine games, posting four assists but no goals. The 19-year-old has had some early career success against the Sharks, though, with three goals and one assist in four games last season.
Vitals
Sharks
Goals per game: 3.10 (9th)
Goals-against per game: 2.70 (15th)
Power play: 25.0 percent (6th)
Penalty kill: 80.0 percent (17th)
Avalanche
Goals per game: 2.22 (26th)
Goals-against per game: 3.22 (T – 21st)
Power play: 14.3 percent (22nd)
Penalty kill: 88.6.percent (4th)
Probable lines
Sharks
Tomas Hertl – Joe Thornton – Joe Pavelski
Patrick Marleau – Logan Couture – Tommy Wingels
Matt Nieto – Chris Tierney – James Sheppard
Tye McGinn – Adam Burish – Andrew Desjardins
Marc-Edouard Vlasic – Justin Braun
Mirco Mueller – Brent Burns
Scott Hannan – Jason Demers
Antti Niemi (confirmed starter)
Alex Stalock
Avalanche
Gabriel Landeskog – Nathan Mackinnon – Ryan O’Reilly
Alex Tanguay – Matt Duchene – Jarome Iginla
Jamie McGinn – John Mitchell – Max Talbot
Cody McLeod – Marc-Andre Cliché – Danny Briere
Jan Hejda – Erik Johnson
Bran Stuart – Tyson Barrie
Nick Holden – Zach Redmond
Semyon Varlamov
Reto Berra
Injuries/Scratches
Sharks: Raffi Torres (right knee), Barclay Goodrow (left hand), and Mike Brown (left hand) are out. John Scott is serving the first of a two-game suspension. Tyler Kennedy is in Worcester (AHL) on a conditioning assignment.
Avalanche: Erik Johnson (head) is probable. Ryan Wilson (shoulder), Jesse Winchester (concussion) and Patrick Bordeleau (back) are out.
Season/All-Time series
This is the Sharks’ only visit to Colorado this season. The Avalanche, the only Central Division team the Sharks will play fewer than three times, visit SAP Center on April 1 in the only other meeting.
The Sharks are 35-37-10 all-time against the Quebec/Colorado franchise.
Quoteable
“[Saturday against Buffalo] we didn’t have our foot on the gas pedal. Today we did. I can’t put it any more simple than that. We played not to lose [Saturday], in at least the first two periods, and it cost us. Today we played to win. We were up to bat, and we swung the bat. We didn’t wait to get on first by walking or getting hit by a pitch.” – Todd McLellan, after the 4-1 win over Anaheim on Sunday
