The San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Ducks, square off in a battle for the top spot in the Pacific Division, tonight at the SAP Center.
It is the fourth game in the season series, where the home team has won each contest.
San Jose is 25-5-4 at the SAP Center this season. Going 7-2-1 in their last 10 games, the Sharks winning ways at home should continue tonight.
Behind goalie Antti Niemi, the Sharks play a different game of hockey. Niemi leads the league in Wins (34), and has won four of the last five games. However on this winning stretch, their have been problems with the Sharks.
San Jose has converted a league-worst 6.2% of its power-play chances (4 for 65) in its past 20 games. Having an extra man is supposed to be an advantage, and for the leagues seventh best scoring offense, it hasn’t been of late.
“It’s not good enough, simple as that,” forward Logan Couture said. ”It’s on us, the players who go out there and play the big power-play minutes, myself included. It needs to be better. It needs to help win us games.”
Anaheim comes into tonight, losing their last contest to Washington. The Ducks have gone 5-3-2 in their last 10 games, and have let the Sharks back into the picture.
With first place on the line, the Ducks are expecting a physical battle that should be a good warm-up for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
“Obviously this Pacific Division is really tough this year, and Anaheim got out to a big lead, but we put ourselves in a good position to make a run in the home stretch, and tonight’s the start of that,” Sharks forward Tommy Wingels said.
The Sharks have been chasing Anaheim for almost the entire season. They haven’t owned first place since Dec. 5. They’ll get a chance tonight.
With Antti Niemi between the pipes tonight I’m picking the Sharks. Also, the Ducks are going with Frederik Andersen, instead of Hiller.
Sharks, money line, book it.
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