Carolina @ San Jose preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 26, 2018 ) San Jose 3, Carolina 4

The Carolina Hurricanes look to ignite their sputtering offense on Wednesday when they continue their three-game trek through California with an encounter versus the San Jose Sharks. The Hurricanes have mustered just four goals in their last four contests (1-2-1) after being shut out for the second time this season following Sunday's 2-0 setback versus Los Angeles.

"We needed someone to make a play and put it in the net. We're not getting that right now," Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour said of his team that has scored two or fewer goals on 10 occasions in its last 16 games (6-7-3). Sebastian Aho, who has club-best totals in assists (19) and points (26), has just one point to go along with a minus-4 rating in his last four outings while fellow Finn Tuevo Teravainen has been held off the scoresheet in that same span. San Jose snapped out of its scoring funk as it was outscored 20-7 during a four-game skid (0-3-1) before salvaging the finale of its five-game road trip with Sunday's 3-1 win over Montreal. "We're close, but we've been close for 30 games now almost," coach Peter DeBoer said of a Sharks team that has dropped eight of its last 13 (5-6-2). "A third of the season's over and we're not finding the right side of that line."

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, NBCS California (San Jose), FS Carolinas

ABOUT THE HURRICANES (12-10-4): A punchless power play hasn't helped Carolina's scoring troubles as the club is 0-for-9 in the last two contests -- including 90 seconds of a 5-on-3 advantage against the Kings. "We've got to put the game away on one of those power plays," Brind'Amour said on the heels of Friday's 2-1 overtime loss to visiting Anaheim as well as the setback to Los Angeles two nights later. Petr Mrazek deserved a better fate against the Kings after turning aside 33 shots in his return from a month-long absence due to a lower-body injury, although he made 20 saves in a 4-3 shootout win over San Jose on Oct. 26.

ABOUT THE SHARKS (13-10-5): Timo Meier is expected to return to the lineup on Wednesday following a three-game absence with an upper-body injury. The 22-year-old Swiss, who scored a goal in the first encounter with the Hurricanes, sustained the injury in a collision with Buffalo defenseman Jake McCabe on Nov. 27. Captain Joe Pavelski boosted his team-leading goal total to 16 with four to go along with two assists during his four-game point streak.

OVERTIME

1. San Jose D Brent Burns, who leads the team in assists (25) and points (29), has scored one goal and set up four others during his four-game point streak.

2. Carolina D Brett Pesce (lower body) has practiced on back-to-back days and is in line to return to game action for the first time since Nov. 10.

3. Sharks G Martin Jones owns a 6-2-2 mark at home this season.

PREDICTION: Sharks 3, Hurricanes 1