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Predators-Sharks Preview

Nov 9, 2009 - 6:25 PM By PAUL DIGIACOMO STATS Senior Editor

Nashville (7-7-1) at San Jose (12-4-2), 10:30 p.m. EDT

After a dismal start, the Nashville Predators are coming on strong. The San Jose Sharks haven't had many problems since the puck dropped on the 2009-10 season.

San Jose looks to increase its NHL-leading point total Tuesday night when it hosts surging Nashville.

The Sharks have jumped out to a 12-4-2 record, one season after winning the Presidents' Trophy with 117 points and getting upset by Anaheim in the first round of the playoffs.

San Jose moved into a tie with Colorado for the most points in the league at 26 with a 5-0 home win over Pittsburgh on Saturday night. Joe Pavelski had a goal and an assist in his first game back from the injured list, and Evgeni Nabokov made 27 saves in his 49th shutout as the Sharks remained unbeaten in regulation at HP Pavilion (5-0-1).

Pavelski, a fourth-year center who set career highs with 25 goals and 34 assists last season, was out five weeks after breaking his foot while blocking a shot against the Ducks on Oct. 3.

"There's a smile on everyone's face when he is back in the lineup," coach Todd McLellan said. "He means so much to our team, a very intelligent player. He brings a calmness to the ice."

Dany Heatley, Dan Boyle, Jamie McGinn and Manny Malhotra also scored against the Penguins. Heatley, tied with Patrick Marleau for the team lead with 11 goals in his first season with the Sharks, also was glad to see Pavelski return.

"He really didn't miss a step. It looked like he missed no time at all," Heatley said. "He should have had two goals, I stole the other one from him. He played real well tonight and we're happy to have him back."

Pavelski was held to one goal in four games against Nashville in 2008-09, but the Sharks went 2-1-1 as right wing Devin Setoguchi registered four goals and four assists.

The Predators began this season with three wins in 10 games before turning things around. They've since won four of five, beating Los Angeles 3-1 on Saturday afternoon in the second contest of a four-game road trip.

Nashville (7-7-1), which is 29th in the NHL with 2.0 goals per game, got some much-needed offense from a pair of defensemen. Francis Bouillon and Cody Franson both scored after combining for one goal in the team's first 14 games.

"That's a big thing for our team. We need our defensemen to score," said Dan Ellis, who made 27 saves. "We don't have an abundance of talent and we don't have a surefire sniper. Jason Arnott is the closest thing we've got, so we need to score by committee and we need to score with grit. That's what we're starting to do."

The Predators have scored four or more goals three times in seven games after not doing so in the first eight.

Nashville won in San Jose last season for just the second time since the start of 2003-04. The Predators are 2-5-3 there in that span.