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Tuesday, November 4, 2008
FINAL
1 - 3
FINAL 1 2 3 T
Wild 1 0 0 1
Sharks 1 0 2 3
GOAL SCORERS

MIN:   K. Kolanos (04:49 - 1st)
SJS:   M. Grier (17:21 - 1st) , J. McGinn (03:11 - 3rd) , R. Clowe (05:25 - 3rd)
GOALIES

MIN: N. Backstrom (L)
 SJS: E. Nabokov (W)
Wild-Sharks Preview
Associated Press

A two-game goal flurry has helped the San Jose Sharks remain hot.

They haven't needed too much production on offense to dominate the Minnesota Wild in recent years.

The Western Conference-leading Sharks look to remain perfect at home and defeat the Wild for the eighth consecutive time when the teams meet Tuesday night.

San Jose (10-2-0), which has won four straight overall, has scored nine goals in its last two games after being held to three or fewer in each of its previous three contests.

This matchup opens a three-game homestand for San Jose, which has averaged 3.8 goals while winning all six of its games at HP Pavilion this season.

The Sharks, though, have won seven straight against Minnesota (7-2-1) mostly due to dominant defense, outscoring the Wild 20-10 in regulation. They haven't lost to the Wild since a 4-1 defeat at home on Oct. 21, 2006.

Minnesota is tied with Calgary atop the Northwest Division, but faces a tall order against a San Jose team coming off one of its best offensive efforts of the season. The Sharks got two goals each from Devin Setoguchi and Milan Michalek in a 5-3 victory at Colorado on Sunday night.

"Everyone is putting up points," said Setoguchi, one of five San Jose players with at least 10 points. "Every line, when they can contribute like that, it's tough for other teams to match lines. It's pretty effective for our team."

Setoguchi, the eighth overall pick in the 2005 draft, has seven goals in 12 games after scoring 11 in 44 contests as a rookie last season. The 21-year-old winger, though, has been held off the scoresheet in three career games against the Wild.

Despite its history in this series, Minnesota is a threat to slow down Setoguchi and the Sharks. The Wild improved to 4-1-0 on the road with a 3-2 win over Phoenix on Saturday night to open a four-game trip.

Minnesota, already without Marian Gaborik and Owen Nolan due to lower-body injuries, lost defenseman Brent Burns minutes before Saturday's game to an upper-body injury sustained in warmups. Tomas Mojzis, originally on the list of scratches, dressed and left in the second period with an upper-body injury.

Nolan, Burns, and Mojzis are all listed as day-to-day. Gaborik is on injured reserve and has missed eight straight games.

As the injuries continue to mount, the Wild have asked Eric Belanger to play a number of roles. On Saturday, the center scored with 9:25 left to lift Minnesota over the Coyotes.

"I feel good out there and I'm playing with a lot of confidence," Belanger said. "My legs feel great. I'm playing in every situation, and as a player you can't ask for any more."

Mikko Koivu also scored after being held off the scoresheet in the two previous games. The fourth-year center leads the Wild with 14 points (two goals, 12 assists).




SCHEDULE

HOME
AWAY
PROMOTIONAL

STANDINGS

WESTERN CONFERENCE
  TEAM GP W L OT GF GA PTS
1 p - CHI 48 36 7 5 155 102 77
2 y - ANA 48 30 12 6 140 118 66
3 y - VAN 48 26 15 7 127 121 59
4 x - STL 48 29 17 2 129 115 60
5 x - LAK 48 27 16 5 133 118 59
6 x - SJS 48 25 16 7 124 116 57
7 x - DET 48 24 16 8 124 115 56
8 x - MIN 48 26 19 3 122 127 55
9 CBJ 48 24 17 7 120 119 55
10 PHX 48 21 18 9 125 131 51
11 DAL 48 22 22 4 130 142 48
12 EDM 48 19 22 7 125 134 45
13 CGY 48 19 25 4 128 160 42
14 NSH 48 16 23 9 111 139 41
15 COL 48 16 25 7 116 152 39

STATS

2012-2013 PLAYOFFS
SKATERS: GP G A +/- Pts
J. Pavelski 11 4 8 0 12
L. Couture 11 5 6 -6 11
J. Thornton 11 2 8 5 10
P. Marleau 11 5 3 0 8
D. Boyle 11 3 5 -3 8
B. Burns 11 2 2 -1 4
S. Hannan 11 0 4 1 4
B. Stuart 11 1 2 3 3
M. Vlasic 11 1 1 2 2
T. Galiardi 11 1 1 1 2
 
GOALIES: W L OT Sv% GAA
A. Niemi 7 4 0 .930 1.87