San Jose Sharks Return Home to Face Hurricanes: Game Preview
By Eric He
The San Jose Sharks return home for the first time since the Olympics to take on the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night. Mandatory Credit: Bob Stanton-USA TODAY Sports
Something has to give in this game, as the San Jose Sharks return home for the first time since the Olympics to take on the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night.
Either the Sharks will snap a peculiar three-game losing streak against Carolina, or the Hurricanes will snap their current five-game skid. Carolina is struggling, as they are second-to-last in the Metropolitan division, but for whatever reason, they play the Sharks really well.
Back on Dec. 6, the Hurricanes defeated the Sharks 5-3 in Carolina, roughing up Alex Stalock for four goals in the third period and outshooting the Sharks 35-25.
If the Sharks want to continue their mini-hot streak (winners of four of their last five), they will have to solve the mystery that is the Hurricanes.
Tale of the Tape
Sharks
- Goals for per game: 2.89 (8th)
- Goals against per game: 2.35 (T-5th)
- Shots per game: 34.7 (1st)
- Shots against per game: 27.5 (4th)
- Save percentage: 0.914 (T-11th)
- Penalty minutes: 543 (27th)
- Power play percentage: 17.0% (19th)
- Penalty kill percentage: 84.1% (8th)
Hurricanes:
- Goals for per game: 2.46 (21st)
- Goals against per game: 2.79 (16th)
- Shots per game: 31.3 (8th)
- Shots against per game: 30.3 (16th)
- Save percentage: 0.908 (T-20th)
- Penalty minutes: 515 (3rd)
- Power play percentage: 13.0% (29th)
- Penalty kill percentage: 81.2% (19th)
Injury Report
SJ: Brad Stuart (upper body injury) is day-to-day. Tomas Hertl (right knee surgery) is on injured reserve.
CAR: Justin Faulk (upper body injury) is day-to-day. Joni Pitkanen (broken heel) is out for the season.
Probable Lines
SAN JOSE (39-17-6)
Forwards
Pavelski-Thornton-Nieto
Marleau-Couture-Wingels
Havlat-Sheppard-Burns
Torres-Desjardins-Kennedy
Defensemen:
Vlasic-Demers
Irwin-Braun
Hannan-Boyle
Goalies
Antti Niemi
Alex Stalock
CAROLINA (26-26-9)
Forward
Skinner-E. Staal-Lindholm
Tlusty-J. Staal-Semin
Gerbe-Nash-Ruutu
Bowman-Malhotra-Dwyer
Defensemen
Faulk-Sekera
Liles-Harrison
Bellemore-Hainsey
Goalies
Cam Ward
Anton Khudobin
Game Info
Opening face-off: 7:30 PST
Location: SAP Centre, San Jose, CA
TV: LOCAL (CSNCA, FSCR)