Programming note – Sharks-Islanders coverage starts today at 12:30 p.m. with Sharks Pregame Live on CSN California
WHERE THEY STAND
Sharks: 11-8-1, 23 points, 2nd Pacific Division
Islanders: 6-9-4, 16 points, 8th Metropolitan Division
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PREGAME NEWS AND NOTES
***The Sharks will look to keep their homestand rolling after wins against New Jersey on Monday, 4-0, and Chicago on Wednesday, 2-1. San Jose is 6-2 overall in its home building, while the last place Islanders are just 1-5-1 on the road. The Sharks host the Ducks on Saturday in what will be their second back-to-back of the season.
***Aaron Dell (1-1-0, 1.90 GAA, .923 SP) is slated to play in net for the Sharks. In his first career NHL start on Oct. 18 in Brooklyn, Dell made 21 saves on 23 shots in a 3-2 win, with Joe Pavelski notching the game-winner in the third period. Dell will be facing former Sharks backup Thomas Greiss (3-3-0, 2.55 GAA, .918 SP).
***New York is concluding a three-game road swing through California. It beat the Ducks in a shootout on Monday, 3-2, but dropped a 4-2 decision in Los Angeles on Wednesday. The Islanders haven’t won in regulation since Nov. 7, going 1-3-2 over that span.
San Jose Sharks
KEEP AN EYE ON...
Sharks: Joel Ward. The forward scored just his second goal of the season on Wednesday against Chicago, a shorthanded marker that turned out to be the game-winner. The 35-year-old has 9 points (6g, 3a) in 21 career games against the Islanders.
Islanders: John Tavares. The Islanders captain leads the club with 14 points (5g, 9a). He’s had some success against the Sharks in the past with 12 points (3g, 9a) in just nine career games.
PROBABLE LINES
Sharks
Patrick Marleau – Joe Thornton – Joe Pavelski
Joonas Donskoi – Logan Couture – Joel Ward
Mikkel Boedker – Chris Tierney – Matt Nieto
Micheal Haley – Tommy Wingels – Kevin Labanc
Marc-Edouard Vlasic – Justin Braun
Paul Martin – Brent Burns
Brenden Dillon – David Schlemko
Aaron Dell (starter)
Martin Jones
Islanders
Josh Bailey – John Tavares – Anthony Beauvillier
Nikolay Kulemin – Brock Nelson – Ryan Strome
Anders Lee – Alan Quine – Jason Chimera
Andrew Ladd – Casey Cizikas – Cal Clutterbuck
Nick Leddy – Travis Hamonic
Thomas Hickey – Johnny Boychuk
Calvin de Haan – Adam Pelech
Thomas Greiss (starter)
Jaroslav Halak
INJURIES
Sharks: Melker Karlsson (left foot/ankle area) and Tomas Hertl (right knee sprain) are out.
Islanders: Ryan Pulock (broken foot), Dennis Seidenberg (broken jaw) and Mikhail Grabovski (concussion) are out.
QUOTEABLE
“Feels good to contribute. Had some chances in previous games, just couldn't find it. … I was pretty pumped about the win here, especially against a good team like [Chicago].” – Joel Ward, who snapped a 17-game goal drought on Wednesday