NHL Gameday: Sharks Go for Third Straight Win in Rare Home Matinee

Programming note – Sharks-Islanders coverage starts today at 12:30 p.m. with Sharks Pregame Live on CSN California

WHERE THEY STAND

Sharks: 11-8-1, 23 points, 2nd Pacific Division
Islanders: 6-9-4, 16 points, 8th Metropolitan Division

PREGAME NEWS AND NOTES

***The Sharks will look to keep their homestand rolling after wins against New Jersey on Monday, 4-0, and Chicago on Wednesday, 2-1. San Jose is 6-2 overall in its home building, while the last place Islanders are just 1-5-1 on the road. The Sharks host the Ducks on Saturday in what will be their second back-to-back of the season.

***Aaron Dell (1-1-0, 1.90 GAA, .923 SP) could be slated to play in net for the Sharks. In his first career NHL start on Oct. 18 in Brooklyn, Dell made 21 saves on 23 shots in a 3-2 win, with Joe Pavelski notching the game-winner in the third period. Dell could be facing former Sharks backup Thomas Greiss (3-3-0, 2.55 GAA, .918 SP).

***New York is concluding a three-game road swing through California. It beat the Ducks in a shootout on Monday, 3-2, but dropped a 4-2 decision in Los Angeles on Wednesday. The Islanders haven’t won in regulation since Nov. 7, going 1-3-2 over that span. 

KEEP AN EYE ON...

Sharks: Joel Ward. The forward scored just his second goal of the season on Wednesday against Chicago, a shorthanded marker that turned out to be the game-winner. The 35-year-old has 9 points (6g, 3a) in 21 career games against the Islanders.

Islanders: John Tavares. The Islanders captain leads the club with 14 points (5g, 9a). He’s had some success against the Sharks in the past with 12 points (3g, 9a) in just nine career games.

PROBABLE LINES

Sharks
Patrick Marleau – Joe Thornton – Joe Pavelski
Joonas Donskoi – Logan Couture – Joel Ward
Mikkel Boedker – Chris Tierney – Matt Nieto
Micheal Haley – Tommy Wingels – Kevin Labanc

Marc-Edouard Vlasic – Justin Braun
Paul Martin – Brent Burns
Brenden Dillon – David Schlemko

Martin Jones
Aaron Dell

Islanders
Josh Bailey – John Tavares – Anthony Beauvillier
Nikolay Kulemin – Brock Nelson – Ryan Strome
Anders Lee – Alan Quine – Jason Chimera
Andrew Ladd – Casey Cizikas – Cal Clutterbuck

Nick Leddy – Travis Hamonic 
Thomas Hickey – Johnny Boychuk
Calvin de Haan – Adam Pelech

Jaroslav Halak
Thomas Greiss

INJURIES

Sharks: Melker Karlsson (left foot/ankle area) is day-to-day. Tomas Hertl (right knee sprain) is out.

Islanders: Cal Clutterbuck (upper body) is day-to-day. Ryan Pulock (broken foot), Dennis Seidenberg (broken jaw) and Mikhail Grabovski (concussion) are out.

QUOTEABLE

β€œFeels good to contribute. Had some chances in previous games, just couldn't find it. … I was pretty pumped about the win here, especially against a good team like [Chicago].” – Joel Ward, who snapped a 17-game goal drought on Wednesday

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