Programming note – Sharks-Hurricanes coverage starts today at 3:30 p.m. with Sharks Pregame Live on CSN California
WHERE THEY STAND
Sharks: 9-6-0, 18 points, 2nd Pacific Division
Hurricanes: 4-6-4, 12 points, 8th Metropolitan Division
PREGAME NEWS AND NOTES
***Sharks backup goalie Aaron Dell will reportedly make the second start of his career in goal. Martin Jones has started the last 10 games, and 15 of 16 overall.
In his NHL debut on Oct. 18, Dell made 21 saves in a 3-2 Sharks win in Brooklyn. The 27-year-old has appeared on one game since then in relief of Jones against Pittsburgh on Nov. 5, and has a 2.40 goals-against average and .902 save percentage this season in limited action.
Sports
***The Sharks bring a three-game winning streak into tonight’s game, winning all three on the road during a season-long six-game trip. They’ve outscored the Capitals, Panthers and Lightning by a combined score of 10-3.
Carolina snapped a three-game losing streak (0-2-1) with a 5-1 win over Washington on Saturday. Tonight is the third of a five-game homestand.
***The Sharks and ‘Canes power plays will have their work cut out tonight, as the Hurricanes are second in the league with a 90.2 percent success rate on the penalty kill, including going 14-for-14 in their past six games. San Jose is 24-for-24 on the kill in its last 10 games, and is third in the NHL (89.2 percent).
***Carolina’a Justin Faulk is expected to play after missing the past three games with an upper body injury. The Hurricanes’ top defenseman has three goals and six points in 11 games this season.
KEEP AN EYE ON...
Sharks: Tommy Wingels. The Sharks’ fourth liner has scored the game-winning goal in each of the last two Sharks wins. Prior to that, his last game winner was back on Oct. 8, 2014 in Los Angeles. He will likely have a new linemate for the game tonight, as Matt Nieto will replace an injured Melker Karlsson on a line that was arguably the Sharks’ best in wins over the Panthers and Lightning.
Hurricanes: Sebastian Aho. The rookie forward, a second round pick in 2015, scored his first two NHL goals and added an assist in the Hurricanes’ 5-1 win against Washington on Saturday. The Finland native is playing with center Jordan Staal and countryman Teuvo Teravainen, who was acquired from Chicago in the offseason. That line had 11 combined points against the Caps.
PROBABLE LINES
Sharks
Joe Pavelski – Joe Thornton – Joel Ward
Mikkel Boedker – Logan Couture – Joonas Donskoi
Patrick Marleau – Tomas Hertl – Kevin Labanc
Matt Nieto – Chris Tierney – Tommy Wingels
Marc-Edouard Vlasic – Justin Braun
Paul Martin – Brent Burns
Brenden Dillon – David Schlemko
Aaron Dell (starter)
Martin Jones
Hurricanes
Jeff Skinner – Victor Rask – Elias Lindholm
Teuvo Teravainen – Jordan Staal – Sebastian Aho
Lee Stempniak – Derek Ryan – Brock McGinn
Joakim Nordstrom – Jay McClement – Viktor Stalberg
Justin Faulk – Ron Hainsey
Jaccob Slavin – Brett Pesce
Noah Hanifin – Matt Tennyson
Cam Ward
Eddie Lack
INJURIES
Sharks: Melker Karlsson (lower body) is out.
Hurricanes: Bryan Bickell (illness) is out.
QUOTEABLE
“We’re rising to the occasion at the right time, and finding another level.” – Sharks coach Pete DeBoer, after the 3-1 win in Tampa Bay on Saturday
