Blades of Teal
Fansided

San Jose Sharks Begin Home-And-Home With Canucks

By Patrick Leiva

Feb 28, 2016; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Jannik Hansen (36) screens San Jose Sharks goaltender Martin Jones (31) during the third period at Rogers Arena. The San Jose Sharks won 4-1. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 28, 2016; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Jannik Hansen (36) screens San Jose Sharks goaltender Martin Jones (31) during the third period at Rogers Arena. The San Jose Sharks won 4-1. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

San Jose returns to Vancouver for the second time in five days looking to earn another two points.

It’s not often in the NHL where teams play home-and-homes against one another, but that’s what will take place over the course of the next three days as the San Jose Sharks and Vancouver Canucks square off beginning tonight in Vancouver.

The Sharks are familiar with the Canucks after dispatching Vancouver on Sunday by a 4-1 final as San Jose erupted for four goals in the third period.

Vancouver has been in a tail spin of late as they’ve dropped six of their past eight contests to fall out of the playoff chase as they’ve been hit hard by injuries this year. San Jose will look to take advantage of this vulnerable Canucks squad and leave with yet another two points in hand.

Players to Watch

More from Blades of Teal

Sharks: Marc-Edouard Vlasic. Vlasic is once again having a stellar season on defense for San Jose, but he’s expanded his offensive game this year. He ranks fifth on the team with a career-high 37 points (eight goals, 29 assists) while playing the second most minutes per night behind Brent Burns with 23:25. Vlasic was rewarded for his efforts by being named to the initial 16-man roster for Team Canada for the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.

Canucks: Daniel Sedin. It should come as no surprise to anyone in the hockey world that the Sedins continue to produce at a high level for the Canucks. Daniel leads Vancouver with 24 goals and 54 points this season as he has had another strong season despite the struggles of those around him. He scored the lone goal for the Canucks when these teams last squared off five days ago.

Keys to the Game

1. Good Start

Last time these two teams met, San Jose went through the motions in the first 40 minutes of play as they trailed 1-0, and could have by much more if not for Martin Jones, and registered a meager 14 shots on goal. The Sharks will want to focus on a good start and quickly get into a rhythm in this game.

2. Begin March The Right Way

San Jose has been playing their best hockey of the year over the past two months and will look to begin March the same way February ended. The Sharks have will look to extend their winning streak to three games as they continue the race for the division crown.

3. Set The Tone

It was a big comeback victory for San Jose on Sunday over Vancouver, and now they have an opportunity to place even more doubt in the minds of the Canucks. The Sharks want to establish their game and set the tone, not just for this contest, but their next meeting on Saturday night at SAP Center. A win tonight will add to the confidence of team teal and surely leave the Canucks wondering if they can beat the Sharks.

Next: Sharks Place Five Players On World Cup Rosters

TV/Radio

TV: CSN-California (7:00 p.m. PST)

Radio: 98.5 KFOX

Home/Sharks News