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Leclaire, Blue Jackets ready for meeting with Sharks

Oct 27, 2007 - 2:06 PM San Jose (5-4-1) at Columbus (5-3-1) 5:30 pm EDT

COLUMBUS, Ohio (Ticker) -- Not very many pundits,if any, had Pascal Leclaire on their Vezina Trophy watch list. They may be changing their minds.

Leclaire will look to continue his red-hot start when the Columbus Blue Jackets host the San Jose Sharks on Saturday.

After collecting just one shutout in his first 59 career games, the 24-year-old Leclaire has blanked four teams in the first month of this season. He is 4-2-0 with a 1.34 goals-against average and .950 save percentage.

Leclaire is coming off a 36-save shutout in a 3-0 triumph over the St. Louis Blues for his league-leading fourth shutout of the campaign.

His task Saturday will be difficult, facing a Sharks offense led by former Hart Trophy winner Joe Thornton. The 28-year-old Thornton has thrived since being traded from the Boston Bruins, notching 45 goals and 171 assists in 150 games with San Jose.

However, the Sharks offense did not look so impressive against the Detroit Red Wings on Friday night, managing just 11 shots in a 5-1 loss.

San Jose will also need better results from its goaltending. Evgeni Nabokov was pulled midway through the third period after giving up four goals. Backup Dimitri Patzold surrendered another on just nine shots.

The Columbus offense is led by Rick Nash, who leads the team with eight goals and 13 points. No other Blue Jacket has amassed more than seven points.