San Jose @ Arizona preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 13, 2018 ) Arizona 2, San Jose 1

The Arizona Coyotes fell just short of matching their longest winning streak of the season last time out but hope to begin another run when they host the San Jose Sharks on Saturday. Arizona, which posted five straight victories from Oct. 23-Nov. 2, dropped a 4-2 decision to Washington on Thursday to end its string of four consecutive triumphs.

The Coyotes held a pair of one-goal leads against the Capitals before allowing three straight tallies en route to their fifth loss in six home games. San Jose was unable to extend its winning streak to three games on Friday as it suffered a 3-2 loss at Dallas in which it opened and closed the scoring. Defenseman Erik Karlsson set up both goals for the Sharks, giving him three assists in as many contests after notching only two in his previous six games. The road has not been kind to San Jose of late as it has lost seven of eight away from home since edging Anaheim in overtime on Oct. 28.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBCS California (San Jose), FS Arizona

ABOUT THE SHARKS (14-11-5): Logan Couture tallied in the loss to the Stars, giving him 28 points on the season - one fewer than team leader Brent Burns. The 29-year-old Couture has collected three goals and eight assists over his last 10 games, a stretch during which he was kept off the scoresheet only twice. Evander Kane ended his eight-game goal-scoring drought on Friday, leaving him six tallies shy of 200 for his career.

ABOUT THE COYOTES (13-12-2): Arizona hopes to have Vinnie Hinostroza back in the lineup after the center exited Thursday's loss in the second period with a lower-body injury. The 24-year-old Hinostroza, who is in his first season with the Coyotes, ranks fourth on the team with 12 points. Clayton Keller has been avoiding the sophomore jinx as he leads the club with 19 points and eight goals - half of which have been game-winners.

OVERTIME

1. Coyotes LW Lawson Crouse's goal on Thursday was his second in two games and career-high sixth of the season.

2. San Jose C Joe Thornton's next game will be his 1,515th in the NHL, breaking a tie with Steve Yzerman for 18th place on the all-time list.

3. Arizona recalled LW Michael Bunting from Tucson of the American Hockey League.

PREDICTION: Sharks 4, Coyotes 1