The red-hot San Jose Sharks will shoot for a sixth
consecutive victory when they visit the Columbus Blue Jackets for a clash at
Nationwide Arena.
The Sharks have rattled off five straight wins since last losing on October 22
in Tampa and have taken seven of their last eight contests overall. As a
result, San Jose has climbed into first place in the Pacific Division, where
it currently holds a one-point lead over Los Angeles.
San Jose began a three-game road trip Sunday in Raleigh and notched an easy
victory over the host Hurricanes. Patrick Marleau had a goal and an assist and
Evgeni Nabokov was solid with 25 saves, as the Sharks took a 5-1 win to hand
Carolina its franchise record-tying ninth consecutive loss.
Marleau has recorded a point in eight straight games, tallying six goals and
nine helpers during the streak.
Nabokov improved to 9-3-1 on the year by winning his fourth consecutive start.
In his last three outings, the Russian netminder has posted a 0.97 goals-
against average and was named the NHL's Third Star for the week ending
November 1. Nabokov, who is 17-4-2 with a 1.80 GAA against Columbus in his
career, is expected to get the start tonight.
The Sharks also received scores from Kent Huskins, Brad Staubitz, Douglas
Murray and Marc-Edouard Vlasic in Sunday's win.
San Jose is 6-4-0 as the guest this year and has won three straight and five
of its last six on the road.
Columbus halted a three-game slide its last time out as it edged Washington in
an overtime battle in D.C. on Sunday. R.J. Umberger scored his second power-
play goal of the game 1:45 into overtime, lifting the Blue Jackets to the 5-4
win.
Just seconds after Washington defenseman Brian Pothier was whistled for
interference, Rick Nash had the puck in the right circle and sent it to the
crease for Umberger, who redirected a shot past Jose Theodore for the victory.
"We had that never-quit attitude last year," Umberger said. "It doesn't always
have to be pretty. But this team has to dig in. We're a hard-working team,
that's our MO. We can't get into the pretty, tic-tac-toe kind of game. We're a
team that has to grind it out."
Nash finished with a goal and two assists, while Raffi Torres also scored
twice for Columbus, which had lost three in a row and five of six entering
Sunday's contest. Steve Mason stopped 32 shots in the win.
Columbus is 3-1-1 as the host this year, but has dropped its last two games in
Ohio.
The Sharks disposed of Columbus, 6-3, when the Jackets visited San Jose on
October 8. San Jose has taken seven out of 10 overall in this series, but has
lost two straight and six of its last eight at Nationwide Arena.
On the injury front, Columbus defensemen Fedor Tyutin (hand) and Mike
Commodore (charley horse) and forward Derick Brassard (hand) are all probable
for tonight's game, while winger Nikita Filatov is expected to miss his third
straight game with a bruised back.
Sharks forwards Devin Setoguchi and Ryan Vesce are questionable for tonight
with leg injuries.
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