Programming note: Sharks-Blue Jackets coverage starts tonight at 7pm with Sharks Pregame Live on CSN California. Sharks Insider Kevin Kurz will appear on SportsTalk Live on CSN Bay Area, beginning at 5pm.
WHERE THEY STAND
Sharks: 4-3-0, 8 points, 3rd Pacific Division
Blue Jackets: 2-2-1, 5 points, 7th Metropolitan Division
PREGAME NEWS AND NOTES
***Less than two weeks after their meeting in Columbus, a 3-2 Sharks win, the Blue Jackets visit San Jose to wrap up the season series. San Jose is coming off of a 2-1 overtime win on Tuesday against Anaheim in the first of a three-game homestand.
Columbus is 2-0-1 since losing to the Sharks, beating Chicago and Dallas and losing on Tuesday in overtime in Los Angeles.
Sports
Joe Pavelski said: “They are one of those teams that you know you’re going to get an honest game from them, and they’re going to play hard and try to come at you.”
***The Sharks led 2-0 after two periods in the previous meeting with Columbus before withstanding a push from the Blue Jackets in the third.
Pete DeBoer said: “They didn’t lie down. They didn’t quit. They took it to us in the third period and put us on our heels, and I think they carried that into winning their last three games.
“I’m sure we’re going to get their best game here tonight, and just watching their recent tape, they look like they’re playing with some confidence.”
***Martin Jones will start his fourth straight game in net, while Micheal Haley will remain in for Matt Nieto on the fourth line.
The fourth line generated some quality scoring chances against the Ducks, and took three shifts in the third period of what was a 1-1 game. Tommy Wingels, who moved to the wing from center before the game, said the approach doesn’t change whether it’s Haley or Nieto in their group, which now features Chris Tierney in the middle.
“Is it a different guy doing it, maybe more possession and not as much speed? Absolutely, but same mentality, same game plan, and same look to execute,” Wingels said.
DeBoer said: “I don’t judge those guys by goals or points. It’s, are they hopping over the boards? Are they creating energy? Are they wearing down the other team? I think that line did that all night.”
KEEP AN EYE ON...
Sharks: Marc-Edouard Vlasic. The defenseman scored a highlight-reel goal in overtime on Tuesday against the Ducks, flying past Corey Perry and beating goalie John Gibson. It was the first goal by a Sharks defenseman not scored by Brent Burns. Vlasic, who is coming off of his best offensive season a year ago with 48 points, has two points this season (1g, 1a) and an even rating.
Blue Jackets: Zach Werenski. The eighth overall pick of the 2015 draft (just before the Sharks chose Timo Meier), Werenski has five points in five games (2g, 3a) to start his NHL career. The 19-year-old is the first rookie in Blue Jackets history to have points in his first four career games, including a goal against the Sharks on Oct. 12.
PROBABLE LINES
Sharks
Mikkel Boedker – Joe Thornton – Joe Pavelski
Joonas Donskoi – Logan Couture – Joel Ward
Patrick Marleau – Tomas Hertl – Melker Karlsson
Micheal Haley – Chris Tierney – Tommy Wingels
Marc-Edouard Vlasic – Justin Braun
Paul Martin – Brent Burns
Brenden Dillon – David Schlemko
Martin Jones (confirmed starter)
Aaron Dell
Blue Jackets
Brandon Saad - Alexander Wennberg - Nick Foligno
Boone Jenner - Brandon Dubinsky - Cam Atkinson
Matt Calvert - William Karlsson - Josh Anderson
Scott Hartnell - Lukas Sedlak - Sam Gagner
Zach Werenski – Seth Jones
Jack Johnson – David Savard
Dalton Prout – Markus Nutivaara
Sergei Bobrovsky (confirmed starter)
Curtis McElhinney
INJURIES
Sharks: None.
Blue Jackets: Ryan Murray (upper body) is out.
QUOTEABLE
“We were great. Just look at the chances. We controlled a lot of the play, other than the 5-on-3 [where] they had a few chances. There really wasn't much other than that." – Martin Jones, after the Sharks’ 2-1 overtime win over Anaheim on Tuesday
