Pittsburgh hosts San Jose after Malkin's 2-goal game
San Jose Sharks (17-21-3, eighth in the Pacific Division) vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (24-11-4, third in the Metropolitan Division)
Pittsburgh; Thursday, 7 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Pittsburgh hosts the San Jose Sharks after Evgeni Malkin scored two goals in the Penguins' 5-2 victory against the Senators.
The Penguins have gone 16-4-2 in home games. Pittsburgh has scored 134 goals and ranks seventh in the NHL averaging 3.4 per game. Bryan Rust leads the team with 16.
The Sharks are 6-10-2 in road games. San Jose averages 11.4 penalty minutes per game, the third-most in the league. Evander Kane leads the team serving 83 total minutes.
The teams match up Thursday for the first time this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Malkin leads the Penguins with 27 assists and has recorded 38 points this season. Rust has totaled seven goals and eight assists over the last 10 games for Pittsburgh.
Kane leads the Sharks with 14 goals and has recorded 28 points. Timo Meier has five goals and one assist over the last 10 games for San Jose.
LAST 10 GAMES: Sharks: 2-7-1, averaging 2.2 goals, 3.6 assists, 4.4 penalties and 11.5 penalty minutes while allowing 2.7 goals per game with a .909 save percentage.
Penguins: 8-2-0, averaging 3.7 goals, 6.8 assists, three penalties and 7.3 penalty minutes while giving up 2.5 goals per game with a .915 save percentage.
INJURIES: Penguins: Justin Schultz: out (lower body).
Sharks: Antti Suomela: out (upper body), Melker Karlsson: day to day (undisclosed).
