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Sharks, Ducks meet in Pacific Division battle

Mar 2, 2007 - 3:48 PM San Jose (38-24-2) at Anaheim (37-17-11) 10:00 pm EST

ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- The San Jose Sharks aim to move closer to first place in the Pacific Division when they visit the Anaheim Ducks on Friday.

Anaheim, which is 4-3-3 in its last 10 games, leads the division by five points over the Dallas Stars. The Sharks are seven points behind the Ducks.

Dustin Penner scored twice and Teemu Selanne tallied the game-winner in Anaheim's 3-2 victory over San Jose on Monday. The Ducks lead the season series, 4-2-0.

The Sharks are 2-5-1 in their last eight games. They lost their second straight, 4-3, to the Nashville Predators in a shootout on Wednesday. Steve Bernier, Matt Carle and Marc-Edouard Vlasic scored while goaltender Evgeni Nabokov made 29 saves for San Jose.

Nabokov is 0-2-1 with 12 goals allowed in his last three starts. He is 1-3-0 with a 3.79 goals-against average in four starts against Anaheim.

San Jose's Joe Thornton has two goals and 17 assists in his last 14 games. Thornton has one goal and eight assists in six games against the Ducks.

Reigning Maurice Richard Trophy winner Jonathan Cheechoo has just one goal and two assists in his last eight games for the Sharks. However, he has five tallies and two assists in seven games against Anaheim.

Anaheim had its two-game winning streak snapped in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday. Penner, defenseman Scott Niedermayer and Andy McDonald scored while goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov made 17 saves.

Bryzgalov is 1-4-1 with 20 goals against in his last six starts.