The San Jose Sharks host the Dallas Stars tonight with a chance to (once again) clinch that elusive playoff berth on the line.
A third time has to be the charm right?
In case you've been under a rock you missed the Sharks losing back-to-back games for the first time since Jan. 7. As a result, they failed to punch their ticket to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. While they are a lock to make the playoffs I'd prefer to get this out of the way sooner than later.
The last time the Sharks lost two in a row they responded by blowing out the Toronto Maple Leafs 7-0 at the Shark Tank. The Stars, however, are not the Laughs and will push back a tad bit more than Toronto did.
The Sharks and Stars split the previous two meetings with each team winning on home ice.
Tomas Hertl was the overtime hero in the last meeting.
We need more of that.
Dallas enters the game winners of 3 of 4, but somehow managed to lose to Arizona and thus preventing the Sharks from slipping into the playoffs through the back door.
The Stars will try and do it a more conventional way tonight, by actually beating the Sharks head-to-head.
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What to watch for:
- Martin Jones should get the start tonight for San Jose. Jones beat the Stars the last time he faced them, stopping 32 of 35 shots.
- Kari Lehtonen has started the last five games for Dallas. Look for former Shark Antti Niemi to make a third start against his former team this season.
- Joonas Donskoi is listed as day-to-day after leaving the Oilers game with an apparent lower-body injury.
- Pacific Plummet? The Sharks, Kings and Ducks are a combined 0-6-1 in their last 7 games.
- San Jose (16-17-3) and Boston (16-17-5) are the only playoff teams with a losing record at home.
- The Stars (20-11-7) are one of seven teams in the league with at least 20 wins on the road. FWIW, the Sharks have the best road record at 25-10-3.
- Jamie Benn leads the Stars in goals (36), assists (46) and points (82), but hasn't scored a goal in the last three games and has just four goals in his last 14 games.
Benn has two assists against the Sharks this season.
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I have to believe the stars align this afternoon and the Sharks get that spot in the big dance and despite the opponent, I give San Jose a 51% chance to win this one.
Look for Martin Jones to have a big game.
thanks for reading, Steve