Programming note: Sharks-Blues coverage starts tonight at 4:30pm with Sharks Pregame Live on CSN California
Where they stand
Sharks: 26-19-4, 56 points, 2nd Pacific Division
Blues: 29-16-8, 66 points, 3rd Central Division
The latest
Sharks: A 3-2 loss to the Ducks is how the Sharks started a four-game road trip and the second half of their season on Tuesday at Honda Center. Dainius Zubrus and Tommy Wingels scored for San Jose, which saw its 10-game point streak (8-0-2) halted.
Blues: Brian Elliott needed to make just 16 saves in a 1-0 Blues shutout of the Predators in Nashville on Tuesday. Troy Brouwer scored the only goal for St. Louis, which is 4-1-1 in its last six and opens a three-game homestand tonight.
Keep an eye on…
Sharks: Paul Martin. The defenseman’s work on the Sharks’ penalty-killing unit on Tuesday was outstanding, as Martin helped deny four Ducks power plays including a lengthy two-man advantage. He also has a scoring streak for just the second time this season, potting a goal against Colorado on Jan. 26 and marking an assist against Anaheim.
Blues: Vladimir Tarasenko. The 24-year-old leads the Blues with 25 goals (tying him with Joe Pavelski for fifth in the NHL) and 46 points (tied for 12th). He is scoreless in his last four games, however, and didn’t record a single shot on goal in 16:53 of ice time on Tuesday in Nashville.
Probable lines
Sharks
Tomas Hertl – Joe Thornton – Joe Pavelski
Matt Nieto – Patrick Marleau – Joel Ward
Joonas Donskoi – Logan Couture – Tommy Wingels
Melker Karlsson – Chris Tierney – Dainius Zubrus
Marc-Edouard Vlasic – Justin Braun
Paul Martin – Brent Burns
Brenden Dillon – Dylan DeMelo
Martin Jones (confirmed starter)
Alex Stalock
Blues
Patrik Berglund – Alex Steen – David Backes
Magnus Paajarvi – Paul Stastny – Vladimir Tarasenko
Robby Fabbri – Jori Lehtera – Troy Brouwer
Scottie Upshall – Kyle Brodziak – Dmitrji Jaskin
Jay Bouwmeester – Alex Pietrangelo
Joel Edmundson – Kevin Shattenkirk
Carl Gunnarsson – Colton Parayko
Brian Elliott (confirmed starter)
Pheonix Copley
Vitals
Sharks
Goals per game: 2.90 (4th)
Goals-against per game: 2.67 (19th)
Power play: 22.1 percent (3rd)
Penalty kill: 79.9 percent (21st)
Blues
Goals per game: 2.40 (23rd)
Goals-against per game: 2.36 (8th)
Power play: 19.2 percent (12th)
Penalty kill: 85.5 percent (3rd)
Injuries/Scratches
Sharks: None.
Blues: Robert Bortuzzo (lower body) is day-to-day. Jaden Schwartz (fractured left ankle), Steve Ott (hamstring) and Jake Allen (knee) are out.
Season series
This is the first of three games between the Sharks and Blues. San Jose returns on Feb. 22, while St. Louis visits SAP Center on March 22.
Odds and ends
*The Sharks will play the first of three straight road games against the Central Division, against which they are 5-6-1. St. Louis is 8-1-1 against Pacific Division opponents.
*The Blues have scored just four goals in their last four games, but have allowed only five.
*San Jose is 21-2-1 when scoring first, the second-best mark in the league. The Blues are 18-6-4.
