Programming note
Sharks-Canucks coverage starts tonight at 6:30 p.m. with Sharks Pregame Live on CSN California
Where they stand
Sharks: 35-22-6, 76 points, 3rd Pacific Division
Canucks: 24-27-12, 60 points, 4th Pacific Division
Playoff picture
The Sharks trail the Kings and Ducks by four points in the Pacific Division. Anaheim visits Los Angeles this afternoon.
The latest
Sharks: Patrick Marleau had the game-winner in the third period, while Brent Burns and Tomas Hertl each had one goal and one assist in a 3-2 win in Vancouver on Thursday. The Sharks erased a deficit after two periods for the fifth time on the road this season, improving to 23-9-3 in games away from SAP Center. They are 7-2-1 in their last 10 games overall, including three straight wins.
Canucks: Despite jumping out to a 2-0 first period lead on San Jose on goals by Jake Virtanen and Sven Baertschi, the Canucks dropped their seventh game in the last nine (2-7-0). Vancouver is 13-11-7 on the road, and visit the Kings on Monday.
Keep an eye on…
Sharks: James Reimer. The new backup goalie will make his first start with the Sharks, ending a string of 10 straight for Martin Jones. The Sharks will rely on the 27-year-old to give Jones more rest down the stretch as they prepare for the playoffs, and will need him to perform if they want to catch the Ducks and/or Kings.
Canucks: Jake Virtanen. The 19-year-old is one of the youngsters that will get a longer look now that the playoffs are out of reach, and was arguably the best player on the ice on Thursday in the first period, including the opening goal. The sixth overall pick in the 2014 draft has 11 points (6g, 5a) in 38 games.
Probable lines
Sharks
Tomas Hertl – Joe Thornton – Joe Pavelski
Patrick Marleau – Logan Couture – Joonas Donskoi
Matt Nieto – Nick Spaling – Joel Ward
Dainius Zubrus – Chris Tierney – Micheal Haley
Marc-Edouard Vlasic – Justin Braun
Paul Martin – Brent Burns
Brenden Dillon – Roman Polak
James Reimer (confirmed starter)
Martin Jones
Canucks
Daniel Sedin – Henrik Sedin – Emerson Etem
Sven Baertschi – Markus Granlund – Jake Virtanen
Brendan Gaunce – Bo Horvat – Linden Vey
Alex Burrows – Jared McCann – Derek Dorsett
Ben Hutton – Chris Tanev
Dan Hamhuis – Matt Bartkowski
Luca Sbisa – Alex Biega
Jacob Markstrom (confirmed starter)
Ryan Miller
Vitals
Sharks
Goals per game: 2.98 (4th)
Goals-against per game: 2.63 (17th)
Power play: 22.4 percent (4th)
Penalty kill: 79.9 percent (19th)
Canucks
Goals per game: 2.35 (28th)
Goals-against per game: 2.83 (21st)
Power play: 17.7 percent (20th)
Penalty kill: 81.4 percent (14th)
Injuries/Scratches
Sharks: Tommy Wingels (shoulder sprain), Melker Karlsson (upper body) and Matt Tennyson (possible concussion) are out.
Canucks: Alex Edler (fractured fibula), Radim Vrbata (groin) and Brandon Sutter (fractured jaw) are out.
Season series
The Sharks have beaten the Canucks at Rogers Arena twice this week, including on Thursday, 3-2.
After tonight, the teams have a home-and-home on March 29 in Vancouver and March 31 at SAP Center to wrap up the season series.
