Detroit @ San Jose preview
SAP Center at San Jose
Last Meeting ( Mar 25, 2019 ) Detroit 3, San Jose 2
The San Jose Sharks' season-high five-game winning streak has coincided with the sterling play of Tomas Hertl, who has scored a goal in each of those contests and added three assists to boot. Hertl's availability for Saturday's game versus the visiting Detroit Red Wings is in question, however, after he sustained a knee injury in San Jose's 5-3 win at Anaheim.
Hertl, who leads the team with 21 points, told the San Jose Mercury News on Friday that he didn't feel the injury was too serious and that he might able to play against the Red Wings. "He's playing tremendous," Sharks captain Logan Couture said. "You hate to say you get used to it because he's playing at such an elite level. But the way he's been playing over the last two years, he's been at that level. And he's getting better." The Red Wings collectively have been playing better after a disastrous 1-11-1 run, with the club winning three straight before dropping a 3-2 overtime decision in Los Angeles on Thursday. Tyler Bertuzzi recorded his third multi-point performance in the last four games with his second two-goal effort of the season.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, FS Detroit, NBCS California (San Jose)
ABOUT THE RED WINGS (7-12-2): Bertuzzi's linemates have also taken off of late, with Anthony Mantha setting up a pair of goals versus the Kings to extend his point streak to five games (two goals, five assists) while Larkin also set up a tally to give him at least one point in his last four. "First of all, they're three real good players. They complement each other, especially when they're playing at the top of their games," coach Jeff Blashill said. "... They feed off each other pretty well. They're really good friends." The trio also combined for a goal in the last meeting with the Sharks, with Larkin's first-period tally coming in Detroit's 3-2 victory in San Jose on March 25.
ABOUT THE SHARKS (9-10-1): Evander Kane has scored five times in his last six contests to boost his team-leading goal total to 12, matching Patrick Marleau (2012-13) and Timo Meier (2018-19) for the most in franchise history over a 17-game stretch. Speaking of Meier, he set up a pair of goals by Hertl on Thursday to join his linemate with a five-game point streak (three goals, six assists). The final member of the line is Barclay Goodrow, who followed up his "Gordie Howe hat trick" in Tuesday's 6-3 victory over Edmonton with an assist on Hertl's first-period goal against the Ducks.
OVERTIME
1. Detroit G Jimmy Howard has lost 12 of 17 career decisions (5-8-4) against San Jose.
2. Sharks D Erik Karlsson will skate in his 700th career contest on Saturday.
3. Red Wings D Patrik Nemeth will be sidelined several weeks because of an infection caused after he blocked a shot in Sunday's 3-2 win versus Vegas, per Blashill.
PREDICTION: Sharks 4, Red Wings 2