The San Jose Sharks are traveling to Denver coming off a 1-4 loss against the Jets in Winnipeg on Thursday night. San Jose is sixth in the Pacific Division averaging 2.8 goals per game, led by Tomas Hertl with six.
The two teams are meeting for their first matchup of the season at Ball Arena where the Avs will be honoring the lives and fight of cancer patients on home ice along with UCHealth.
COLORADO-OPPONENT CONNECTIONS
Sharks defenseman Matt Nieto spent four seasons with the Avalanche where he drew 81 points (34 goals, 47 assists) for the club… Avalanche video coach Brett Heimlich is from San Jose and spent 11 years with the Sharks organization from 2004-2015… San Jose head coach Bob Boughner played with the Avalanche from 2004-2006… Sharks scout and development coach, Mike Ricci played for Colorado/Quebec from 1992-1998 and won a Stanley Cup with the Avs in 1996.
HISTORY
The Avs are 54-40-12 in the all-time series against San Jose since moving to Colorado in 1995. Since the Sharks entered the league in 1991-92, Joe Sakic's 75 points rank second overall against San Jose (Teemu Selanne, 99 points). Nathan MacKinnon leads Colorado's active players in points against the Sharks with 28 points (12 goals, 16 assists).
ROSTER REPORT
Valeri Nichushkin played in his first game back against Vancouver after being out with an upper-body injury he sustained on Oct. 13. Devon Toews made his second game appearance since rehabbing an upper-body injury.
INJURY REPORT
Bowen Byram is being assessed for an injury he sustained in Nov. 12's game. Nathan MacKinnon is out give-or-take three weeks after suffering a lower-body injury. Cale Makar rejoined the group for practice after sustaining an upper-body injury on Oct. 30. Martin Kaut is still being evaluated on a week-to-week basis with an upper-body injury. Stefan Matteau continues to be out for weeks rehabbing a lower-body injury he suffered on Oct. 16th. Pavel Francouz remains on a week-to-week basis.
SCOUTING THE SHARKS
San Jose will see the return of seven players, along with head coach Bob Boughner, back with the team on Saturday ahead of their game against Colorado. The seven players currently in COVID-19 Protocol are Erik Karlsson, Jake Middleton, Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Matt Nieto, Kevin Labanc, Timo Meier and Radim Simek. With these additions, the Sharks will be getting their bottom-four defensive core, and pieces of their bottom-six back into their line-up.
San Jose is ninth in the Pacific Division averaging 2.8 goals per game.
PLAYER TO WATCH:Tomas Hertl
Drafted the 17th selection of the 2012 NHL entry draft, alternate captain, Tomas Hertl leads the Sharks with six goals for the season. Hertl has played in 474 career games with the Sharks recording 302 points (139 goals, 163 assists) he recorded139 goals. On a line with Alexander Barabanov and Rudolfs Balcers, the center is looking to get his line on a point streak.
NUMBERS GAME
6
Gabriel Landeskog has passed Peter Forsberg on the franchise GWG leaderboard and is now 6th of all time.
2X2
Colorado Defenseman Devon Toews tallied two points (1 goal, 1 assist) in Thursday night's game versus the Cannucks in his second game of the season after returning from injury.
5
Nazem Kadri has extended his point streak to five games, tied for his longest since joining the Avalanche.
NOTEBOOK
J.T. Compher skated on the top line with Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen as Nathan MacKinnon was unavailable against Vancouver. Alex Newhook was recalled from the American Hockey League affiliate Colorado Eagles on Tuesday and played
Avalanche vs. San Jose sharks
Ball Arena | Denver, Colo.
| Game Time: | 7 p.m. MT |
| --- | --- |
| TV: | Altitude, NBC Sports California (SJS) -blackouts apply |
| Radio: | Altitude Sports Radio, FM 92.5 (KKSE) |
| Live Streams: | AltitudeNow.com, Official app, ESPN+- blackouts apply |
| Online Audio: | Listen Live Here |
| Follow: | @Avalanche, Official app, Gamecenter |
| Buy Tickets | Ball Arena Policies |
