San Jose Sharks Rookie Joonas Donskoi Set To Return
By Sam Kelly
Rookie winger Joonas Donskoi will return to the ice for the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday night. The 23-year-old forward has missed the last five games with a lower-body injury sustained on Oct. 10 in a tilt against the rival Anaheim Ducks.
Donskoi’s return comes at an ideal time for the Sharks. After starting the season with four consecutive victories, they’ve dropped three of their last four games. San Jose rebounded nicely in a 5-2 drubbing of the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday night, but early-season injuries have started to take their toll on the team’s depth up front.
Donskoi will skate on the Sharks’ top line with Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski for Wednesday’s match against the Nashville Predators. In three games skating with that unit, Donskoi has managed a goal (the first of his NHL career), four shots on net and a plus/minus rating of +3. His return pushes 22-year-old winger Matt Nieto, who had been filling in for Donskoi on the first line, back down to line three with Chris Tierney and Tommy Wingels.
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Ben Smith is also returning to action after sitting out with a head injury that required 17 stitches to patch up. He took a puck to the ear against the New York Islanders in Brooklyn on Oct. 17. Smith will center Barclay Goodrow and Mike Brown on the fourth line against Nashville.
The Sharks are still without pivot Logan Couture, who suffered a broken right fibula on Oct. 15. Couture is expected to miss four to six weeks. In his absence, third-year forward Tomas Hertl has filled the No. 2 center role.
Tonight’s clash with the Predators gets underway at 7:30 pm at the SAP Center in San Jose. The Sharks can improve to 6-3 with a win.
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