Chicago Blackhawks (33-33-10, seventh in the Central Division) vs. San Jose Sharks (43-24-9, second in the Pacific Division)
San Jose, California; Thursday, 10:30 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: San Jose takes on Chicago looking to stop its four-game home skid.
The Sharks are 23-9-5 on their home ice. San Jose is second in the NHL averaging 6.1 assists per game, led by Brent Burns with 0.8.
The Blackhawks are 16-19-3 in road games. Chicago has scored 246 goals and ranks fourth in the Western Conference averaging 3.2 goals per game. Patrick Kane leads the team with 41. In their last meeting on March 3, San Jose won 5-2. Melker Karlsson scored two goals for the Sharks.
TOP PERFORMERS: Brenden Dillon leads the Sharks with a plus-17 in 76 games played this season. Marc-Edouard Vlasic has totaled one goal and nine assists over the last 10 games for San Jose.
LAST 10 GAMES: Blackhawks: 6-3-1, averaging 2.7 goals, 4.5 assists, two penalties and 4.2 penalty minutes while giving up two goals per game with a .938 save percentage.
Sharks: 4-5-1, averaging three goals, five assists, three penalties and 6.5 penalty minutes while giving up 3.1 goals per game with a .890 save percentage.
Sharks Injuries: Erik Karlsson: out (lower body), Radim Simek: out (lower body), Joe Pavelski: day to day (undisclosed).
Blackhawks Injuries: None listed.
