Canucks 4 - 2 Sharks
Final
  for this game

Slumping Sharks host Canucks

Nov 7, 2013 - 4:15 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The San Jose Sharks aren't looking at silver linings despite picking up a point in each contest of its season-high three-game losing streak.

The Sharks look to get on track Thursday night with a sixth straight victory over the Vancouver Canucks.

San Jose has suffered just one regulation loss this season but has won just twice in its last six games. The Sharks followed up a 2-1 loss in Boston on Oct. 24 with back-to-back wins, but have since suffered an overtime setback and two straight shootout defeats.

The Sharks were bested by lowly Buffalo on Tuesday, with the Sabres notching just their third victory of the season thanks to a 5-4 shootout win. San Jose needed three third-period goals just to get to overtime, including Tommy Wingels' game-tying tally with 3:46 to go in regulation.

Marty Havlat and Tyler Kennedy added goals and rookie Tomas Hertl had a goal and an assist. He notched his ninth score and has 13 points in 15 games.

Antti Niemi made 32 saves before getting bested twice in the fourth-round shootout.

"This was a fear of mine that we'd be complacent and that we would turn it up when we thought we had to and that's exactly what we got," Sharks coach Todd McLellan said. "I thought we were outworked for a large part of the game and outdetailed.

"We weren't nearly what we needed to be to play against anybody in the league."

The Sharks have been more than prepared in two meetings already this season with the Canucks. After winning all three encounters last season, San Jose opened up the campaign with a 4-1 home win on Oct. 3 before another 4-1 victory in Vancouver seven days later.

The Sharks have won three straight and nine of their last 13 at home in this series.

Niemi was in net for both wins this seasons, stopping 46 of the 48 shots faced.

Vancouver has won five of its last seven, but is coming off a 3-2 shootout setback to Phoenix on Tuesday. Dan Hamhuis and Ryan Kesler had goals and Roberto Luongo made 30 saves.

"They're very disciplined through the neutral zone," Canucks head coach John Tortorella said. "They jam it up pretty well."

Henrik Sedin had an assist to extend his point streak to a career-high 12 straight games, notching three goals and 11 helpers over that span. Daniel Sedin also had an assist to give him nine points over a seven-game run.

Luongo is likely to get his third start of the season against the Sharks. He yielded seven goals on 63 shots faced in the two earlier losses.






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