Goals to be at premium when Sharks host Wild (Jan 05, 2017)
The San Jose Sharks have had trouble scoring this season. Their next opponent has been prolific at keeping the puck out of the net.
In a matchup pitting two of the stronger teams in the Western Conference, the Sharks host the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night.
San Jose (23-13-2) looks to avoid losing three straight for the first time in two months. The Sharks dropped a 3-2 decision on Saturday in Los Angeles before falling 2-1 to the Kings in overtime in the finale of the home-and-home set Tuesday.
"We're not finishing right now, and really all season," said Logan Couture, who scored San Jose's goal. "It's tough to win in this league when you score only one."
The Sharks scored only 93 goals, led by 15 from Brent Burns, a former first-round pick of the Wild in 2003. Minnesota (23-9-4), meanwhile, has given up only 74 goals.
The Wild, who begin a three-game road trip through California, enters this contest trailing the Central Division-leading Chicago Blackhawks by one point. Minnesota's 12-game winning streak was snapped with a 4-2 loss Saturday that also extended the Columbus Blue Jackets' run to 15 games.
"We can't look at one loss as we've been playing poorly or anything like that and get us down," Minnesota's Jason Zucker told the Wild's official website. "We have to use it as a reset and say, 'Alright, the streak's over, but we have the chance to start a new one now.'"
Minnesota got balanced scoring over the last 13 games with five players each recording at least 10 points, led by Charlie Coyle (four goals, 11 assists), and Zucker and Eric Staal (six goals each).
But Minnesota struggles at SAP Center, where they have dropped 10 of the last 12 meetings and surrendered 16 power-play goals in 46 chances.
This game should feature two of the league's top goaltenders in Minnesota's Devan Dubnyk and San Jose's Martin Jones.
On Tuesday, Dubnyk was named the league's third star of the month for December after helping the Wild post a 12-1-1 record. Dubnyk was 10-1-1 with a 1.88 goals-against average, a .934 save percentage and recorded his NHL-best fifth shutout.
Dubnyk is 19-7-3 and leads the league with a 1.75 GAA and .941 save percentage. However, in 15 games against San Jose, Dubnyk is 5-8-2 with a 3.07 GAA and a .908 save percentage At SAP Center, he's 3-2-1 with a 2.88 GAA and a .920 save percentage.
He's yet to face the Sharks in San Jose while in a Minnesota uniform. Dubnyk's last appearance in northern California came Nov. 22, 2014 with the Arizona Coyotes. He made 40 saves through overtime and turned away all three attempts in the shootout to secure a 4-3 victory.
Jones' numbers aren't quite as good as Dubnyk's -- 19-12-2 with a 2.10 GAA, a .920 save percentage and two shutouts. But his play at home has been sparkling. In 15 games, Jones is 10-4-1 with a 1.67 GAA and .932 save percentage. All four losses have come when he has surrendered exactly three goals.
Sharks captain Joe Pavelski was held off the scoresheet in the two losses to the Kings, and remains three points shy of 600 for his career. In 16 career home games versus Minnesota, the Wisconsin native has 11 goals and 10 assists.
San Jose defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic, currently on injured reserve with facial injuries suffered Friday in a win over the Philadelphia Flyers, is expected to miss his third straight game.
