San Jose @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 12, 2018 ) Detroit 3, San Jose 5

The San Jose Sharks look to rebound after being shut out for the first time since late November when they continue their four-game road trip Sunday afternoon against the struggling Detroit Red Wings. The Sharks recorded points in nine of 10 contests (8-1-1) before dropping a 4-0 decision at Columbus on Saturday and losing All-Star defenseman Erik Karlsson to a groin injury.

San Jose, which will have Karlsson evaluated on Sunday morning, registered 26 shots against Columbus while going 0-for-2 on the power play as it remained three points behind first-place Calgary in the Pacific Division. The Red Wings have dropped four straight games as they play out the string of a disappointing season, but the emphasis is on the future as two promising new faces are expected to join the lineup in the first of two meetings with the Sharks. Madison Bowey, a 23-year-old defenseman, was acquired from Washington in a deal for blue-liner Nick Jensen on Friday while 19-year-old right wing Filip Zadina has been recalled from Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League and could make his NHL debut after recording 15 goals and 31 points in 45 games with the Griffins. "It’s all I’ve been dreaming about,” Zadina, the sixth overall pick in the 2018 draft, told the Detroit Free Press. “It’s finally come. Hopefully, I will play well and help the team win.”

TV: 3 p.m. ET, NBCS California (San Jose), FS Detroit

ABOUT THE SHARKS (36-18-8): San Jose will have to lean on Brent Burns even more if Karlsson is out long-term, as the All-Star defenseman has put together another big season with a team-leading 68 points. Captain Joe Pavelski tops the team with 32 goals and Tomas Hertl is next with a career-high 28 to lead an offense that ranks third in the league at 3.6 tallies per contest. Evander Kane has scored six of his 27 goals in his last eight contests while Timo Meier has registered a career-best 51 points but has been kept off the scoresheet in three straight games.

ABOUT THE RED WINGS (23-30-9): Bowey registered a goal, five assists and a plus-3 rating in 33 games with Washington this season and has collected 18 points in 84 NHL contests after being selected in the second round of the 2013 draft. “He’s extremely hard-working,” coach Jeff Blashill told reporters of Bowey. “Can skate. Has real range. Has probably yet to find his niche of how he can be better than other people in the NHL, and that’s why he’s here.” Leading scorer Dylan Larkin (26 goals) has recorded eight of his team-high 60 points in the last six games.

OVERTIME

1. Detroit C Andreas Athanasiou has scored five of his career-high 22 goals in the last six contests.

2. San Jose LW Marcus Sorensen (11 goals, 20 points) also left Saturday’s game after being hit in the face by a deflected puck.

3. Red Wings C Luke Glendening is one point shy of 100 for his career and has been kept off the scoresheet in five straight contests.

PREDICTION: Sharks 4, Red Wings 3