Programming note – Sharks-Flames coverage starts today at 7pm with Sharks Pregame Live on CSN California.
WHERE THEY STAND
Sharks: 6-4-0, 12 points, 2nd Pacific Division
Flames: 4-6-1, 9 points, 5th Pacific Division
PREGAME NEWS AND NOTES
***The Sharks will put their perfect 4-0 home record on the line tonight in the first of five meetings with Calgary. San Jose is in the midst of playing five of six at SAP Center, concluding with a Stanley Cup Final rematch with the Penguins on Saturday. They had won three straight, all at home, before Tuesday’s 3-2 loss in Arizona.
“When we don’t get the job done on the road it’s nice to play good at home, and hopefully we can still do that,” Melker Karlsson said.
Sports
Last season, the Sharks didn’t win their fifth home game until Dec. 30.
***Coach Pete DeBoer didn’t seem too concerned about Tuesday’s loss, as the Sharks outshot the Coyotes for the game, 41-30. If San Jose continues to get quality scoring chances, it will be fine more often than not in the coach’s view.
“You have to give some credit to the other team,” he said. “I thought the goalie (Louis Domingue) the other night was first star, and you’re going to get some of those nights. We’ve got to stick with it.
“The bottom line is we’ve won four of our last five, and the last one despite a couple poor few minutes probably deserved to win that game, too. We’re not going to overreact to this, we’ve just got to stick with it.”
***The Flames are struggling on special teams, owning both the 28th ranked power play (9.8 percent) and penalty kill (72.3 percent). Their three shorthanded goals are tied for first in the league, however.
The Sharks have killed off 21 of 22 opponent power plays over their last seven games.
***Martin Jones will make his seventh straight start in net, as the Sharks won’t make any lineup changes. Chad Johnson goes for Calgary after newcomer and former Blues goalie Brian Elliott started the last five in a row.
The sixth overall pick in the 2016 draft, rookie Matthew Tkachuk will play in his 10th game, burning a year of his entry-level contract. Veteran Dennis Wideman is a healthy scratch.
KEEP AN EYE ON...
Sharks: Patrick Marleau. The longtime Sharks forward scored in the first period on Tuesday in Arizona, and was perhaps the team’s best player in the loss to the Coyotes. Although his three goals (including an empty-netter) and one assist don’t exactly jump off the page, the 37-year-old is fourth on the Sharks with 28 shots.
Flames: Michael Frolik. The Czech native leads the Flames with five goals, including a pair of shorthanded scores. He tallied Calgary’s only goal in its decisive loss in Chicago on Tuesday. He has one point in each of the last three games (2g, 1a).
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
Flames
Johnny Gaudreau – Sean Monahan – Alex Chiasson
Kris Versteeg – Sam Bennett – Troy Brouwer
Matthew Tkachuk – Mikael Backlund – Michael Frolik
Lance Bouma – Matt Stajan – Michael Ferland
Mark Giordano – T.J. Brodie
Brett Kulak – Deryk Engelland
Jyrki Jokipakka – Dougie Hamilton
Chad Johnson (confirmed starter)
Brian Elliott
INJURIES
Sharks: None.
Flames: Ladislav Smid (neck) is out.
QUOTEABLE
“They’re the best team in the league, by far, with the way they can [get] the stick on puck. They shoot the puck from all areas, they’ve got a real good attack, they’ve got a great net-front presence where they’ve got a high guy. It seems like Pavelski can get his stick on any puck that’s remotely close to the net.” – Flames coach Glen Gulutzan
