After months and months of waiting, the San Jose Sharks don’t have to wait too long in getting right back on the ice. After the Sharks dropped a 1-0 overtime decision against the Vancouver Canucks last night, San Jose gets a second crack at Vancouver in their second game of preseason action tonight at Rogers Arena at 7 p.m.
The game should feature the much anticipated debut of Martin Jones in goal as Peter DeBoer will give Jones his first action in teal according to Jeff Paterson of TSN.
Martin Jones makes his SJ Sharks debut tonight vs #Canucks. Pete DeBoer just told me he's not sure if Jones will go the distance
— Jeff Paterson (@patersonjeff) September 22, 2015
All eyes will be focused on Jones to see how he looks and performs in his first action as a member of the San Jose Sharks. While there will certainly be over-reactions on both ends of the spectrum, I’m interested in watching how he works with his defensemen and if he looks comfortable between the pipes. He doesn’t have to be the savior tonight, he just needs to find his rhythm and get used to his new teammates.
Paterson also points out that Matt Tennyson and Mirco Mueller will be some of the carryovers from last night’s contest, along with Joel Ward also making his debut in San Jose.
Looks like Tennyson & Mueller will play on consecutive nights for Sharks. Joel Ward will be in their line-up, too
— Jeff Paterson (@patersonjeff) September 22, 2015
It should come as no surprise to see Mueller and Tennyson as they are likely battling it out amongst each other for one of the final two spots on the blue line. Seeing them in as much game action as possible is imperative to their development and also making an informed decision about who is ready to remain with the big club.
Furthermore, expect more veterans in the Sharks lineup tonight as it wouldn’t be surprising to see Patrick Marleau, Logan Couture and Brent Burns on the ice. San Jose will look to generate more offensive chances as they only managed 19 shots on goal last night. While the defensive play was solid in limiting Vancouver to 19 shots as well, the Sharks will want to ensure they are applying more pressure in the offensive zone.
UPDATE: Here are the list of players who will be suiting up for the San Jose Sharks tonight (via Kevin Kurz of Comcast Sportsnet Bay Area):
Forwards: Patrick Marleau (#12), Logan Couture (#39), Joel Ward (#42), Tomas Hertl (#48), Ben Smith (#21), Joonas Donskoi (#27), Nikolay Goldobin (#82), Rourke Chartier (#60), Barclay Goodrow (#89), John McCarthy (#17), Michael Haley (#38) and Frazer McLaren (#23)
Defensemen: Paul Martin (#7), Brent Burns (#88), Karl Stollery (#3), Matt Tennyson (#80), Mirco Mueller (#41) and Justin Braun (#61)
Goaltenders: Martin Jones (#31) and Alex Stalock (#32)
For fans of the San Jose Sharks interested in tuning in, the game will be carried live on the NHL Network.
Next: Sharks Drop Preseason Opener To Canucks