Thornton uncertain for Sharks in Game 2 against Ducks

ORANGE, Calif.-- Joe Thornton's possible return from injury to the San Jose Sharks lineup will not be influenced by their 3-0 win in Game 1 of the Western Conference First Round against the Anaheim Ducks.

"Regardless of where this series ends up, or whether we are down, up, facing elimination, we're going to do what is right," San Jose coach Peter DeBoer said Friday. "He's going to do what's right. We're not looking to buy time. We're not looking to rush him back if we get in a spot where we're in trouble.
"It's too serious an injury and he's too valuable a guy. We're going to do what's right."
RELATED: [Complete Ducks vs. Sharks series coverage]
Game 2 of the best-of-7 series is Saturday (10:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN, SN360, TVAS, PRIME, NBCSCA).
Thornton, who has been out since Jan. 23 recovering from knee surgery, is skating and getting closer to playing. He was in warmups Thursday, which made it appear he might play in the series opener at Honda Center.
"Obviously he's making progress or he wouldn't be out there," DeBoer said. "It probably grabbed their attention for a little bit.
"There's no secret to it. There's nothing there. It's no gamesmanship. He wants to be around the group and he's getting closer and that's where he was."
Thornton said Thursday his knee felt great after he increased his workload the previous day. The Sharks did not practice Friday.
"If I come in, I want to stay in for the full run," the 38-year-old said Thursday. "So that's my focus, come back healthy enough that I can play every night and [have it] work out good for the guys. And not just be there, be a difference out on the ice some nights."

San Jose was 19-13-3 without Thornton to end the season and fell behind Anaheim for second place in the Pacific Division and home-ice advantage in this series. The Sharks held the Ducks to 25 shots in the Game 1 shutout.
"If he plays, he plays," Anaheim forward Corey Perry said of Thornton. "Right now we're thinking about us and what we have to do."
Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic missed almost all of the final month of the regular season with a lower-body injury leading into the Stanley Cup Playoffs two seasons ago. His first game back was Game 1 of the first round against the Los Angeles Kings. He said the adrenaline of the playoffs can help make up for lost time.
"It gets you through it," Vlasic said. "I don't think there will be a problem. [Joe] is doing everything he can in order to come back as quick as he can at 100 percent.
"Only Joe Thornton knows when he'll be back."