San Jose Sharks Look For Third Straight Win To Close Out Homestand
Mar 12, 2015; San Jose, CA, USA; San Jose Sharks defenseman Brent Burns (88) and Sharks defenseman Brenden Dillon (4) congratulate Sharks goalie Antti Niemi (31) on a shut out after the end of the game against the Nashville Predators at SAP Center at San Jose. Sharks won 2-0. Mandatory Credit: Bob Stanton-USA TODAY Sports
Instead of all the headlines talking about their rejuvenated play of late, all anyone is talking about with regards to the San Jose Sharks is the continued rift between Joe Thornton and Doug Wilson. That rift was fully blown open with the remarks from Thornton yesterday, but the fact remains the Sharks have 14 games left to make the playoffs for the 11th consecutive season.
San Jose will host their third straight difficult opponent to close out their four-game homestand as the Chicago Blackhawks are set to visit SAP Center for a rare matinee contest. The Sharks and Blackhawks have split their two matchups this season, with each team winning on their home ice.
The Sharks will look to continue their strong play as San Jose has won four of their past five games to claw within three points of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
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Players to Watch:
San Jose: Antti Niemi. Niemi has been the workhorse once again for the Sharks thus far and he’s found his game of late. In the month of March, Niemi is 3-1-0 with a 1.48 GAA and a .956 save percentage. Niemi has had an up-and-down career against his former team, amassing a 7-7-1 record with a .916 save percentage and a 2.74 GAA in 15 appearances versus the Blackhawks according to Hockey-Reference.
Chicago: Jonathan Toews. Toews has put together another solid season for the Blackhawks and he’s been relied upon even more after Patrick Kane went down with an injury. Toews leads Chicago in plus-minus at plus-22 and is second on the team with 21 goals, 33 assists and 54 points. Toews has always played well against San Jose in his career, posting 11 goals, 12 assists and a plus-13 rating in 25 contests (Hockey-Reference).
Quick Take:
Despite all the off the ice drama that surrounded San Jose on Friday, the Sharks need all the points they can get at this point in the season. San Jose wants to close out their homestand on a high note before heading out East for a seven-game road trip. It should be a fast-paced game as both teams like to attack, but Chicago is stingy on the defensive end as well ranking second in the NHL in goals against per game.
San Jose will look for another strong performance from Niemi who shutout the Blackhawks 2-0 the last time these teams met on Jan. 31. Once the puck drops, the conversation shifts back to the play on the ice and the Sharks will look to convince their fans, and their own general manager, that they are still a factor in this playoff race.