Dallas (5-6-2) at San Jose (12-2-0) 10:00 p.m. EST
SAN JOSE, California (Ticker) -- The San Jose Sharks are playing
so well that the temporary loss of their starting goaltender
might not be a big deal.
The Sharks go for their seventh straight win and try to remain
undefeated at home when they host the Dallas Stars on Saturday.
San Jose remained perfect in eight games at the HP Pavilion on
Thursday as Ryane Clowe scored two goals in regulation before
finding the back of the net in the shootout to help forge a 5-4
victory against the St. Louis Blues.
Goalie Evgeni Nabokov, a Venzina Trophy finalist last season who
is 10-2-0 with a 2.72 goals-against average in 2008-09, suffered
an unspecified lower-body injury on the final shot of the
shootout. Nabokov has not been ruled out for the contest with
the Stars but, with the way the Sharks are playing, backup Brian
Boucher has to feel confident.
San Jose outshot the Blues, 43-29, registering at least 40 shots
for the seventh time this season and lead the NHL, averaging
37.6 shots per game.
Boucher has been stout, too, stopping all 43 shots he's faced en
route to shutouts against the Los Angeles Kings and Tampa Bay
Lightning. Since signing with the Sharks in February, the
journeyman Boucher has posted a 5-0-0 record with three shutouts
and a 0.40 GAA as a starter.
Stars No. 1 netminder Marty Turco has not found even a fraction
of that success this season, but turned in a strong performance
on Friday, making 28 saves during a 5-2 victory against the
Anaheim Ducks. Turco, who is 4-5-2, had allowed 11 goals during
his previous two starts.