Canucks vs Sharks 7pm sportsnet

esoter1c · #1 (**permalink**) Jan 28, 07

GAME: Vancouver Canucks (27-19-3) vs. San Jose Sharks (33-16-0).

While the San Jose Sharks continue to thrive on the road, the Vancouver Canucks are struggling at GM Place.

The Sharks look to win five straight road games for the first time this season and move into first place in the Pacific Division when they face the Canucks on Sunday.

San Jose (33-16-0) is concluding a two-game stretch on the road, where it is 16-7-0. The Sharks have the second-most road wins in the NHL and have matched their longest winning streak away from HP Pavilion this season.

A victory Sunday would give San Jose a five-game win road streak for the first time since April 3-12, its longest run since winning six in a row from Nov. 30-Dec. 19, 2001.

The Sharks have won five of their last six overall and have only two losses in their last 10 games. San Jose is two points behind first-place Anaheim in the Pacific Division. The Ducks host Dallas on Sunday.

Patrick Marleau had two goals and an assist for the Sharks in a 5-1 win at Edmonton on Friday night. Mike Grier added a goal and an assist for San Jose.

"We've been playing well for the past three weeks," Grier said. "And it is good to keep it going after the (All-Star) break. Hopefully we can keep that going over the next little while."

Joe Thornton also had a goal and an assist for the Sharks, giving him three goals and nine points in his last five contests. He has six assists in his last five games against Vancouver (27-19-3).

San Jose is in the midst of an NHL-record string of 48 straight games without going to overtime. The Sharks, whose only overtime game this season was a 5-4 win over St. Louis in their season opener, broke the mark of 41 set by Toronto in 1996-97.

Vancouver, meanwhile, is coming off its third loss after regulation of the season.

The Canucks fell 3-2 in overtime to Los Angeles on Friday night, their second straight defeat at home since winning eight in a row there.

"I don't know if it was the break or what it was, but we've got to get back to playing the right way soon," Canucks forward Markus Naslund told the team's Web site.

Naslund has three goals and five points in his last four games against San Jose.

Sami Salo and Trevor Linden scored, and Roberto Luongo finished with 40 saves Friday to help the Canucks stay tied with Calgary atop the Northwest Division. The Flames visit Chicago on Sunday.

Vancouver's Marc Chouinard was in the lineup for just the third time in eight games after the Canucks learned earlier in the day that center Ryan Kesler would miss the rest of the regular season following hip surgery Monday.

The 22-year-old Kesler has six goals and 10 assists in 48 games this season, mostly while centering the Canucks' third line. He was experiencing soreness in his hip before the All-Star break but was expected to play through it.

San Jose won its first meeting with Vancouver 6-4 on Oct. 13. The Sharks have taken three straight against the Canucks since a 3-2 loss on Nov. 24, 2005.

If we don't win this we're gonna start a slump slide into nowhereville.

Sedins/Naslund better score.

Nucks 4-3

KenJi · #2 (**permalink**) Jan 28, 07

San Jose is a very good game who can play both the offensive and defensive game.

This is gonna be either a good game to kick start our team or it could really lead us into another slump.

Going with 3-2 canucks in regulation

crackdragon · #3 (**permalink**) Jan 28, 07

Hopefully they have woken up since last game... 4-3 OT Nucks

KenJi · #4 (**permalink**) Jan 28, 07

^ The chances of that are slim cause the sharks barely ever go to overtime. Last time they played ot was at the beginning of the season

esoter1c · #5 (**permalink**) Jan 28, 07

Luongos all over the highlight reels with this game.

KenJi · #6 (**permalink**) Jan 28, 07

Ya if we win this. Three stars could all be luongo

KenJi · #7 (**permalink**) Jan 28, 07

This is what we were missing when we lost to minnesota in the playoff's. Our goalie couldn't steal us one game when we didn't play our best.

Goodfellow · #8 (**permalink**) Jan 28, 07

I'm gunna go with lungo/pyatt and an undecided shark player as the stars.

shit I wasn't paying attention who actually got the stars?

KenJi · #9 (**permalink**) Jan 28, 07

Hasn't come on yet.

Going with Luongo, Pyatt and Thorton lol.

called the rite players, wrong order

crackdragon · #10 (**permalink**) Jan 28, 07

Thank god for Luongo lol

Pennywise · #11 (**permalink**) Jan 28, 07

good game.

I kinda wish I went now lol

KenJi · #12 (**permalink**) Jan 28, 07

^ how was that a good game?

I'm happy we won but I ain't too happy the way we played at all.

Grapes · #13 (**permalink**) Jan 28, 07

I was at the game. They were all over us early in the first but we fought back later in the period.

The rest of the game, they racked up shots and some good chances, but I didn't think we were as outplayed as the shot totals would indicate. We played pretty smart, and got them off their game a bit (they were clearly ON at the start).

Bottom line: Roberto Luongo is starting to make me question my heterosexuality.

Grapes · #14 (**permalink**) Jan 28, 07

Any time a goalie gets a spontaenous standing ovation in the middle of the regular season, you know he's appreciated.

Carrie · #15 (**permalink**) Jan 28, 07

I can't wait to get sportsnet back!

Goodfellow · #16 (**permalink**) Jan 29, 07

Luongo is gunna win us a cup. Maybe not this year, but in the next 1-3 years IMO. You watch! All we need is 1 more striker to fill the offensive void and we are set.