Programming note – Sharks-Kings coverage starts today at 7:30 p.m. on NBCSN
WHERE THEY STAND
Sharks: 13-9-1, 27 points, 1st Pacific Division
Kings: 12-9-1, 25 points, 4th Pacific Division
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PREGAME NEWS AND NOTES
***Both the Sharks and Kings are coming in hot as they clash for the second time this season. San Jose capped off a 4-1 homestand by beating the Coyotes on overtime on Tuesday, 2-1, while Los Angeles has won its last five games.
The Kings lead the NHL with only 25.5 shots allowed per game, while the Sharks are second (25.9).
San Jose won the first meeting on opening night at SAP Center on Oct. 12, 2-1.
San Jose Sharks
***Despite playing last night, Martin Jones will return to the net against his former club for a key division battle. The goalie is 4-1-1 against the Kings in his career, with a 2.31 goals-against average and .918 save percentage.
Los Angeles’ Peter Budaj has been outstanding while filling in for an injured Jonathan Quick. He has played in 20 straight games, starting 18, going 12-6-1 with a 2.04 GAA and .917 SP over that span.
***Brent Burns leads the Sharks and all NHL defensemen with nine goals, including the overtime winner against the Coyotes last night. He has as many or or more goals than the entire defenses of 17 NHL teams.
KEEP AN EYE ON...
Sharks: Joe Pavelski. The Sharks captain brings a seven-game point streak into tonight’s game, with two goals and five assists over that span. Pavelski is tied for the Sharks team lead with 21 points, tied for ninth in the NHL. Against the Kings, he has 45 points (21g, 24a) in 54 career regular season games.
Kings: Jeff Carter. The Kings’ center leads the team in goals (10) and points (19), including eight points in his last six games. He has scored the game-winning goal in four of the past five games, all Los Angeles wins, and his six game-winners leads the NHL.
PROBABLE LINES
Sharks
Patrick Marleau – Joe Thornton – Joe Pavelski
Joonas Donskoi – Logan Couture – Joel Ward
Mikkel Boedker – Chris Tierney – Melker Karlsson
Micheal Haley – Ryan Carpenter – Kevin Labanc
Paul Martin – Brent Burns
Marc-Edouard Vlasic – Justin Braun
Brenden Dillon – David Schlemko
Martin Jones
Aaron Dell
Kings
Dwight King – Anze Kopitar – Trevor Lewis
Tanner Pearson – Jeff Carter – Tyler Toffoli
Dustin Brown – Nic Dowd – Devin Setoguchi
Marian Gaborik – Nick Shore – Jordan Nolan
Derek Forbort – Drew Doughty
Jake Muzzin – Alec Martinez
Kevin Gravel – Matt Greene
Peter Budaj
Jeff Zatkoff
INJURIES
Sharks: Tommy Wingels (lower body) and Tomas Hertl (right knee sprain) are out.
Kings: Jonathan Quick (groin), Brayden McNabb (arm) and Andy Andreoff (upper body) are out.
QUOTEABLE
“I was a ref growing up and I thought I had good karma with that, but that's two now against me.” – Brenden Dillon, who has been a part of two overturned goals, after Tuesday’s game