The San Jose Sharks look to make it three wins in a row and avenge a loss earlier in the month when they host the Winnipeg Jets tonight at the Tank.

The Sharks are coming off a satisfying thumping of the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday night when they erupted for six goals, including three in the period. Let's hope they have a few more goals left in their sticks because the Jets pose a whole new set of problems.

Since January 1st, Winnipeg is 5-2-1. They've won seven of the last 10 games and their last two in a row and they have jumped over Nashville for first place in the Central Division.

Here's what to watch for when the puck drops in San Jose....

- Can Aaron Dell keep it going? The back-up turned starter is 12-3-2 with a 2.17 GAA and .929 save percentage. He's won five of six starts in January and he was dominant in Anaheim. If he has another strong showing tonight it may be impossible to sit him when Martin Jones returns.

- Will Joe Thornton score a goal tonight? I wouldn't bet against it. Jumbo is as hot as anybody on San Jose's roster. Thornton has eight points in his last six games, including goals in five of the six.

- The Sharks managed to shut the Ducks down on Sunday. The Jets have more firepower than Anaheim, but they have been scuffling of late. They only have one regulation goal in each of their last four games. It could be another defensively strong outing for San Jose once again.

- Which offense shows up tonight? The Sharks struggles on offense are well documented, but they seem to have turned the corner in 2018. San Jose's scored three of more goals in six of 10 games since the calendar flipped. They even have two six goal games mixed in. Can they keep it going?

- The special teams battle. Winnipeg has the league's second best power play (24.9%) and the Sharks have the NHL's third best penalty kill at 84.1%. That may be a push, but the Jets can increase their win probability if they can stay out of the box. San Jose's power play is deadly right now. They scored on two of five opportunities in Anaheim and they have the leagues best PP since early December. They are connected at nearly a 29% clip. That could be the difference maker tonight.s

Thanks for reading,
Steve

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