San Jose Sharks Look To Go Three-For-Three To Open Trip
The San Jose Sharks continue their longest road trip of the season with a swing through Beantown to take on the Boston Bruins. San Jose started their 10-day road trip with back-to-back wins over the Detroit Red Wings and Buffalo Sabres to improve their road record to 6-3-0 on the season.
The Sharks will be looking to continue their road-warrior mentality when they take on the high-powered Bruins, who are clicking on the offensive end of the ice, but not so much on the defensive end. Boston currently ranks first in the league in power play percentage (33 percent) while ranking third in goals per game at 3.25. On the flip side, the Bruins rank 26th in goals against per game at 3.06 and last in penalty kill percentage at 71.7 percent.
Expect some fireworks tonight as both teams appear to be lacking in the defensive details of the game.
Players to Watch
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Sharks: Joe Thornton. Thornton returns to Boston, 10 years removed from the blockbuster trade that changed the landscape of the Sharks franchise. At 36-years-old, Thornton is still a highly productive player, ranking fourth on the team with 11 points (two goals and nine assists). He’s also third on the Sharks with a plus-five rating and 54.3 Corsi For percentage while averaging 18:08 of ice time.
Bruins: David Krejci. Krejci has really elevated his game this year after posting only seven goals and 24 assists in just 47 games last season. This year, Krejci is leading the way for the Bruins offense with eight goals and 10 assists while averaging a career-high in 19:55 of ice time.
Keys to the Game
1. Special Teams Battle
As touched on above, it’s feast or famine when dealing with the Bruins special teams. Their power play is extremely dangerous and will provide a stiff test for an improving Sharks penalty kill. Meanwhile, the San Jose power play which has floundered for the majority of the season, could get well against a Boston unit that leaves plenty to be desired. The Sharks have to ensure that they are at least even in the special teams department to have a chance tonight.
2. Martin Jones
Jones hit a bit of a rut on the last home stand when he was pulled in two of the three games he started. However, Jones has bounced back to begin this road trip with two solid efforts in picking up both wins thus far. Jones will be back in net tonight where he will take on the team that he was briefly traded to this summer.
3. Keep the Streak Alive
While the Sharks haven’t played the prettiest hockey, it’s been effective in racking up all four points to date on this six-game trip. San Jose would like to continue the momentum as they look to put together an extended winning streak and keep banking points in the division race.
Next: Sharks Smart To Bring In Dainius Zubrus
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