Game Preview: Flames At Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are still looking to get back in the win column after a third straight loss their last time out.
A visit from the Calgary Flames could help them do just that.
Slumping San Jose goes for an eighth home win in nine tries against the Flames as these Pacific Division foes meet for the first time Wednesday night.
The Sharks (10-9-4) are trying to snap an 0-1-2 slide following Saturday's 4-3 shootout loss to Arizona. Tommy Wingels and Andrew Desjardins erased an early 2-0 deficit and Joe Pavelski scored the tying goal 7:47 into the third period, but San Jose came up empty on all three shootout attempts.
"Slow starts, they always hurt," Pavelski told the league's official website. "We worked, we kept going as the game went on. We had chances there at the end. We just have to find a way to win. ... It's still about managing the game when the game is tied, making that simple play. We've got to learn that lesson over and over. But it's got to stay with us one of these times."
The Sharks went 1 for 4 on the power play, failing to convert on an opportunity in overtime. They have been limited to 1.8 goals per game during a 2-4-2 stretch.
Antti Niemi made 22 saves against the Coyotes, dropping to 1-4-2 with a 2.68 goals-against average in his last seven games. However, he's 12-2-1 with a 2.18 GAA against the Flames after allowing seven goals during a four-start winning streak in the series.
The Sharks have outscored Calgary 34-18 in taking three straight and seven of eight home meetings. Pavelski has tallied eight goals and nine assists during that eight-game stretch, while Logan Couture has posted four and four, respectively, in six home matchups.
The Flames (13-8-2) had put together a 4-1 homestand before opening a three-game trek with Tuesday's 3-2 loss at Anaheim. T.J. Brodie and Jiri Hudler had goals for Calgary, which cut the deficit to one with 26 seconds left after entering the third period down 3-0.
"We have to do better," goaltender Jonas Hiller said. "We can't just hope we win every game in the last five minutes after being down. Coming from behind might work once in a while and it shows a lot of character.
"We've got to be ready from the first minute on. We got outworked in the first two periods. You can't just flip a switch."
Hiller stopped 26 shots against his former team, falling to 2-3-0 with a 3.39 GAA in his last five starts. He's allowed three or four goals in each of those appearances.
HIller is 1-1-2 with a 2.88 GAA in his last four meetings against the Sharks. Each of those defeats came in San Jose, where he's gone 3-4-2 with a 2.29 GAA.
Backup Karri Ramo has won his last two starts against the Sharks, stopping 60 of 62 shots.
Flames defenseman Mark Giordano ranks first in the NHL at his position with 24 points, 17 of which have come in the last 13 games
. Hudler has scored in three of the last four, giving him six goals and five assists over a 12-game stretch.
Giordano has five points in his last six visits to San Jose.
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