NHL Gameday: Marleau stays on top line as Sharks host Devils

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Programming note – Sharks-Devils coverage starts today at 7:00 p.m. with Sharks Pregame Live on CSN California

WHERE THEY STAND

Sharks: 9-8-1, 19 points, 4th Pacific Division
Devils: 9-5-3, 21 points, 5th Metropolitan Division

PREGAME NEWS AND NOTES

***The Sharks wrapped up their longest road trip of the year in Arizona on Saturday, falling 3-2 in overtime. It was their third straight defeat (0-2-1). San Jose has played just six games in its own building, but will play the next five and eight of the next 10 at SAP Center.

“We’re excited to be home now and start a little homestand,” Joe Pavelski said.

The Sharks will ice yet another new look to their lines as they search for more consistent offense. Patrick Marleau will skate on the top line with Pavelski and Joe Thornton, after he helped get that line going in the third period of the Arizona game.

“He did a tremendous job, just working,” Pavelski said. “We turned over a lot of pucks, had some chances, had some looks. That’s how we have to play.”

***Neither team has had much success on the power play lately. The Devils are 0-for-25 over their last eight games, while the Sharks are 1-for-21 in their last seven.

Pete DeBoer said: “Our power play has to get us one. We’ve always been a good power play team, and that’s usually been good for almost a goal a night for us over the course of a season. That’s a critical part of our game, too.

***The Devils will start Keith Kinkaid, who will be making just his fourth start in net as the backup to Cory Schneider. Kinkaid, who is 2-0-1 with a 1.66 GAA and .944 SP this season, shut out the Sharks at SAP Center last season with 30 saves in a 3-0 Devils win on March 10.

“He’s a real capable backup,” said DeBoer, who is familiar with Kinkaid from his time in New Jersey. “He has the ability to come in and steal games. Obviously he played well in here last time in, and we’ve been making goalies look good lately. We have to make sure we get to him and get the appropriate amount of pressure and get inside. He’s a big guy. If he sees it, he’ll stop it.”

Martin Jones starts for the Sharks.

KEEP AN EYE ON...

Sharks: Danny O’Regan. A fifth round pick of the Sharks in 2012, O’Regan will make his NHL debut as the fourth line center. The Boston University product is tied for the team lead in scoring on the Barracuda with five goals and 11 points in 11 games. Fellow rookie Kevin Labanc will sit after playing the past six games.

Devils: Damon Severson. The 22-year-old is tied for the Devils team lead with 12 points (3g, 9a), ranking him 10th in the NHL among defensemen. The former second round pick in 2012 has four multi-point games. New Jersey’s blueliners have scored seven of the team’s 12 goals over the past four games, and 11 of 41 overall.

PROBABLE LINES

Sharks
Patrick Marleau – Joe Thornton – Joe Pavelski
Joonas Donskoi – Logan Couture – Joel Ward
Mikkel Boedker – Chris Tierney – Matt Nieto
Micheal Haley – Danny O’Regan – Tommy Wingels

Marc-Edouard Vlasic – Justin Braun
Paul Martin – Brent Burns
Brenden Dillon – David Schlemko

Martin Jones (starter)
Aaron Dell

Devils
Beau Bennett – Travis Zajac – P.A. Parenteau
Reid Boucher – Adam Henrique – Nick Lappin
Jacob Josefson – Pavel Zacha – Devante Smith-Pelly
Sergey Kalinin – Vern Fiddler – Blake Pietila

Andy Greene – Damon Severson
Jon Merrill – Ben Lovejoy
John Moore – Kyle Quincey

Keith Kinkaid (starter)
Cory Schneider

INJURIES

Sharks: Melker Karlsson (left foot/ankle area) and Tomas Hertl (lower body) are out.

Devils: Kyle Palmieri (upper body), Taylor Hall (left knee) and Mike Cammalleri (personal) are out.

QUOTEABLE

“First game, don’t be too nervous. Just play your game. Just pretty much do the things that got me here.” – Danny O’Regan, on the message from Pete DeBoer headed into his first NHL game.

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