Programming note – Sharks-Coyotes coverage starts today at 7:00 p.m. with Sharks Pregame Live on CSN California
WHERE THEY STAND
Sharks: 33-17-2, 68 points, 1st Pacific Division
Coyotes: 16-28-6, 38 points, 7th Pacific Division
PREGAME NEWS AND NOTES
***The Sharks and Coyotes played three times in November, with Arizona posting a 2-0-1 mark in the season series so far.
"We know that and we want to change that, for sure," Patrick Marleau said of the Sharks' struggles against the Coyotes. "The way we've been playing, we've got to keep that up. If we do that, the result should be there."
Sports
In the most recent game on Nov. 29 at SAP Center, Brent Burns' overtime goal gave San Jose a 2-1 win and the extra point in the standings. Mike Smith made 40 saves.
Pete DeBoer said: "They always play well against us and always give us a hard time. … I think you throw out the records, we have to be ready to play. We know we've been burned by this team before."
San Jose has won eight of its last nine, including the first two coming out of the All-Star break. The Coyotes are 3-6-0 in their last nine, and lost a pair at home to the Kings and Blackhawks coming out of the break.
***In a bit of a surprise move, Micheal Haley will get back into the lineup as the fourth line center, while Ryan Carpenter comes out as a healthy scratch. Haley has not played since Jan. 18 at Los Angeles, spending some time on injured reserve with a lower body injury. He has fought the Coyotes' Ryan White twice this season.
Timo Meier was promoted to the third line, in place of fellow rookie Kevin Labanc, who will be on the fourth line with Haley and Melker Karlsson.
***Martin Jones will start for the fourth straight game, sandwiched around the All-Star Game, in which he also took part. He's allowed seven goals on 75 shots in three games against Arizona this season (1-1-1, 2.35 GAA, .907 SP).
Today is also the deadline for NHL goalies to be wearing the new streamlined pants. Jones said he's been wearing them for "three or four weeks," though, and indicated it hasn't been much of an adjustment.
***San Jose has 30 games remaining in the regular season, to be played over the next 64 days. Of those, 15 are at home and 15 on the road; 11 are against Pacific Division opponents; and 20 are against the Western Conference.
KEEP AN EYE ON...
Sharks: Joe Pavelski. After struggling going into the All-Star break with one assist in five games, the captain has four points in his first two games since (1g, 3a). Pavelski set up Patrick Marleau for his 500th career goal on Thursday, and had three points against Chicago last Tuesday. His 164 shots are second on the team behind only Brent Burns.
Coyotes: Max Domi. The second year forward returned to the lineup on Thursday after missing nearly two months and 23 games with a hand injury. The 21-year-old has 16 points (5g, 11a) after posting 52 points (18, 34a) in 81 games as a rookie last season. In three games against San Jose this season, Domi has scored twice.
PROBABLE LINES
Sharks
Tomas Hertl – Joe Thornton – Joe Pavelski
Patrick Marleau – Logan Couture – Mikkel Boedker
Timo Meier – Chris Tierney – Joel Ward
Kevin Labanc – Micheal Haley – Melker Karlsson
Paul Martin – Brent Burns
Marc-Edouard Vlasic – Justin Braun
Brenden Dillon – David Schlemko
Martin Jones (starter)
Aaron Dell
Coyotes
Tobias Rieder – Martin Hanzal – Radim Vrbata
Brendan Perlini – Christian Dvorak – Shane Doan
Jamie McGinn – Alex Burmistrov – Max Domi
Lawson Crouse – Jordan Martinook – Ryan White
Oliver Ekman-Larsson – Luke Schenn
Alex Goligoski – Michael Stone
Jakob Chychrun – Connor Murphy
Mike Smith
Louis Domingue
INJURIES
Sharks: Joonas Donskoi (upper body) and Dylan DeMelo (broken wrist) are out.
Coyotes: Dave Bolland (lower body) and Brad Richardson (broken leg) are out.
QUOTEABLE
"Just got to get right back into it and keep playing. We still have [30] games here, and a playoff spot to solidify and all that stuff, so there's still lots to be playing for." – Patrick Marleau
