A four-game west coast road trip gets underway on Monday for the Detroit Red Wings as they face the San Jose Sharks.
The Red Wings are currently on a six-game losing streak which they will be hoping to end at some point during this road trip. Getting a win on Monday night will be no easy task as the Sharks are holding onto a playoff spot of the narrowest margins.
The Sharks find themselves in second place in the Pacific Division but have only a two-point lead on the third place Anaheim Ducks. Additionally, the third-place team in the Western Conference wild-card race, the Los Angeles Kings, are just three points back of the Sharks. There are two other teams right behind the Kings in fourth and fifth place in the wild-card picture.
Here’s what it looks like for them at the moment
Pacific Division
- Vegas Golden Knights-93 points
- San Jose Sharks-81 points
- Anaheim Ducks-80 points
Wild-Card
- Dallas Stars-82 points
- Colorado Avalanche-80 points
- LA Kings-79 points
- Calgary Flames-78 points
- St. Louis Blues-77 points
San Jose has won three of their last five games and they will definitely see the opportunity at hand to grab two points against a struggling Red Wings team.
The Sharks have been led by Joe Pavelski and Brent Burns. Both players have 53 points in 68 appearances.
In net, Martin Jones has been the no.1 option. He has posted a record of 22-18-6 with a 2.45 goals against average. Backup Martin Dell could be the starter on Monday as the Sharks have other big games ahead, including against Calgary on Friday. Dell has a record of 14-5-3 and a 2.65 goals against average.
Jared Coreau started for the Red Wings on Friday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets. He got the nod twice last week. Jimmy Howard has lost five consecutive starts and should be the starter on Monday with the chance to snap the streak.
This is the second meeting of the season between the two teams. In January, the Red Wings won 2-1 in the shootout.
How to Watch
When: Monday, March 12-10:30 p.m. (EST)
Where: SAP Center-San Jose, California
How to Watch: Fox Sports Detroit
Live Stream: Fox Sports Go