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Sharks look to continue home dominance as they host Capitals

Nov 22, 2008 - 11:26 AM Washington (11-5-3) at San Jose (16-3-1), 10:30pm EST

SAN JOSE, California (Ticker) -- As the Washington Capitals look to regain the winning touch on their five-game road trip, they couldn't be facing a tougher opponent.

The Southeast Division leaders travel to San Jose on Saturday to take on the Sharks, who have been practically unbeatable at home. In fact, the only blemish on their home mark this season was a 4-3 overtime loss to the Nashville Predators last week.

Overall, they have not dropped a regulation game at the HP Pavilion during the regular season since February 14, 2008 - a 3-2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers. In the 20 home games since, they have racked up an 18-0-2 record.

Of course, this year's Sharks have been hard to stop regardless of the venue. They lead the league with 33 points and 71 goals. Left wing Patrick Marleau and right wing Devin Setoguchi pave the way with 22 points apiece, while former Hart Trophy winner Joe Thornton has chipped in with four goals and 16 assists.

San Jose has won three games in a row, posting 16 goals during that span. Most recently, the Sharks got revenge for their earlier home loss to the Predators, scoring a pair of first-period goals in an 87-second span en route to a 4-1 victory on Monday. That came just one night after a wild 6-5 triumph over the Chicago Blackhawks during which they scored four power-play goals - including two by defenseman Dan Boyle.

Already a nearly unstoppable force, the Sharks will officially get stronger as goaltender Evgeni Nabokov is expected to return. The 33-year-old Russian has missed the last six games with an undisclosed lower body injury but appears ready to play. He is 10-2-0 with a 2.71 goals-against average.

The Capitals are no slouches, either. They are the second-highest scoring team in the Eastern Conference, thanks in large part to star left wings Alexander Ovechkin (eight goals, 15 assists) and Alexander Semin (13 goals, 14 assists).

However, Semin has missed the last three games with a strained shoulder and upper back and he is not expected to play Saturday, according to the Washington Post.