Preview: Blues at Sharks

[March 22, 2016]  Among the league's worst teams at home for the majority of the season, the San Jose Sharks have appeared to found their stride and will go for their fifth consecutive win at SAP Center against the visiting St. Louis Blues on Tuesday night. The Sharks are one point behind Anaheim for second place in the Pacific Division, although the Ducks have a game in hand.

San Jose knocked off Eastern Conference powers Washington, Boston and the New York Rangers before blanking Arizona during its impressive four-game home winning streak. "Any line can score. Any line is dangerous," Sharks forward Joe Thornton said. "We're a very, very deep team right now." St. Louis, which is 7-2-0 in its last nine and is wrapping up a five-game road trip, is two points behind first-place Dallas in the Central Division and two ahead of reigning Stanley Cup champion Chicago. It's the first meeting between the teams since Blues forward Ryan Reaves received a three-game suspension for boarding San Jose defenseman Matt Tennyson from behind and giving him a concussion.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET; FSN Midwest (St. Louis), CSN California (San Jose), NHL.TV
 

ABOUT THE BLUES (42-22-9): Goaltender Brian Elliott had won five consecutive starts before he was injured in St. Louis' 6-3 loss to San Jose on Feb. 22, but he made a dazzling return to the lineup from a 10-game absence by stopping all 19 shots in a 3-0 victory at Vancouver on Saturday. "We didn't play well the last couple of outings and this is good," Elliott said after the game. "Hopefully we can take it into San Jose and wrap up the road trip with a high." Vladimir Tarasenko, who had three points in that last meeting, has four goals in his last five games overall.

ABOUT THE SHARKS (41-25-6): Thornton scored twice and set up a pair of goals against St. Louis last month, part of a 23-game stretch in which he has amassed 29 points. Despite the absence of stud defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic to injury for the past two games, San Jose has allowed only one goal as Dylan DeMelo has filled the void. "When you lose a guy like (Vlasic), it obviously gives other defensemen the chance to step up and get more minutes," blue-liner Paul Martin said. "DeMelo has played with us most of the season and done a great job when he has."

OVERTIME

1. Sharks F Matt Nieto will be sidelined for three to four weeks with a fractured knuckle on his right index finger.

2. Elliott is 4-3-1 with a 2.91 goals-against average versus San Jose.

3. Sharks F Tomas Hertl has two goals and five assists during a five-game point streak.

PREDICTION: Sharks 4, Blues 3

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