• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Guerin, Sharks look to keep rolling

Mar 15, 2007 - 4:14 PM San Jose (42-25-3) at Phoenix (28-38-3)

GLENDALE, Arizona (Ticker) - Now that Bill Guerin has started to score, the San Jose Sharks could really take off.

Coming off a hat trick that ended a scoring drought with his new club, Guerin leads the surging Sharks into Thursday's meeting with the Phoenix Coyotes.

Acquired from St. Louis at the trade deadline, Guerin did not score in his first six games with San Jose. But he broke out in style in Tuesday's 7-1 trouncing of Chicago, registering his 12th career hat trick, which included a penalty shot late in the third period.

The Sharks have 87 points and are tied with Dallas for second place in the Pacific Division, nine points behind Anaheim. They have won four of their last five games as Evgeni Nabokov is becoming a factor as well.

Nabokov allowed a late goal vs. Chicago that denied him his fourth shutout in his last five starts. He is 4-0-1 with five goals allowed during that stretch.

Despite a 4-0 victory over league-worst Philadelphia on Monday, Phoenix is just 3-11-1 in its last 15 contests and tied with Los Angeles for last place in the Western Conference.

San Jose is 4-2 vs. Phoenix this season, winning the last two matchups in January. Ryan Clowe scored the eventual game-winner in both contests.