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Cheechoo, Sharks to face Iginla, Flames

Feb 12, 2008 - 3:42 PM Calgary (28-20-8) at San Jose (31-17-7) 10:30 pm EST

SAN JOSE, California (Ticker) - With Jonathan Cheechoo and Joe Thornton in top form, the San Jose Sharks are beginning to click on offense.

The Sharks will be looking for a third straight win when they host the Calgary Flames on Tuesday.

One of the league's premier goal scorers, Cheechoo had just seven goals this season before posting his first multi-goal game of the current campaign against the St. Louis Blues on January 24. Including that game, Cheechoo has seven goals in the last seven contests.

With Cheechoo in goal-scoring form, top playmaker Joe Thornton has somewhere to deposit his pinpoint passes. The All-Star center has nine assists in his last seven games.

Cheechoo had a hat trick in San Jose's 4-3 triumph over the Nashville Predators on Saturday, while Thornton assisted on all three tallies. All-Star netminder Evgeni Nabokov made 10 saves while picking up his league-leading 31st victory of the season.

Nabokov will have to stop All-Star Jarome Iginla and the potent Flames' attack on Tuesday. Calgary's captain ranks third in the NHL with 34 goals this season and has 17 goals in 44 career games against San Jose.

The Flames picked up a 4-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday. Owen Nolan tallied twice and Iginla found the net once in the victory.

Nolan recorded a hat trick in the last meeting between the teams - a 5-4 Calgary win on January 30. The Flames have won two of the three meetings this season.