• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Nabokov, Giguere face off in season opener

Oct 9, 2008 - 10:08 AM Anaheim (0-0-0) at San Jose (0-0-0), 10:30 pm EDT

SAN JOSE, California (Ticker) -- A heated battle between two of the league's top goaltenders very well could define how division rivals finish in the Pacific.

Star netminders Evgeni Nabokov and Jean-Sebastien Giguere likely will oppose each other as the San Jose Sharks open the 2008-09 campaign by hosting the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday.

Entering the season with high expectations in the crowded Western Conference, the Sharks and Ducks will be counting on their respective netminders to help dethrone the defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings.

Nabokov was nothing short of terrific for San Jose last season, posting a 46-21-8 record with a 2.14 goals-against average in 77 games. The 33-year-old was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy but finished second to Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils.

Although the Sharks parted ways with defensemen Brian Campbell and Craig Rivet in the offseason, Nabokov will be protected by veteran newcomers Rob Blake and Dan Boyle as former Detroit assistant Todd McLellan begins his NHL coaching career.

Giguere was just as impressive, winning at least 30 games for the third straight season. The 31-year-old, who missed the start of the campaign due to hernia surgery, ranked second behind Chris Osgood of the Red Wings with a 2.12 GAA.

The Ducks were ousted last season in the conference quarterfinals by the fifth-seeded Dallas Stars, ending their bid to defend their Stanley Cup title. The Stars then eliminated the Sharks in the semifinals in six games.

While strong goaltending and a crop of solid blue-liners have become the face of San Jose's winning formula, its offense is significantly weaker. Joe Thornton, Milan Michalek, Jonathan Cheechoo, Joe Pavelski and captain Patrick Marleau return as the team's leading goal-scorers, but the Sharks finished 19th in goals per game (2.63) in 2007-08.

The Ducks also possess a streaky offensive unit, returning just three players who scored 20-plus goals - Ryan Getzlaf (24), Chris Kunitz (21) and Corey Perry (29). They ranked 28th in goals per game (2.40) and were shut out 10 times - the second-highest total in the NHL behind the Devils (11).

The Sharks (3-9-4, .313) and Ducks (4-10-0, .286) own the league's two worst winning percentages in regular-season openers.