
Programming note
Sharks-Rangers coverage starts this afternoon at 12:30 p.m. with Sharks Pregame Live on CSN California
Where they stand
Sharks: 39-25-6, 84 points, 3rd Pacific Division
Rangers: 40-23-8, 88 points, 2nd Metropolitan Division
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
Playoff picture
The Sharks trail the Kings by seven points and the Ducks by three points in the Pacific Division. Each team has 12 games remaining.
Los Angeles hosts the Bruins tonight, while Anaheim is idle.
The latest
San Jose Sharks
Find the latest San Jose Sharks news, highlights, analysis and more with NBC Sports Bay Area and California.
Sharks: Shane Doan’s score from a bad angle with 1:31 left in regulation broke a 1-1 tie, and the Coyotes went on to claim a 3-1 win over San Jose on Thursday night at Gila River Arena. The Sharks had a pair of goals disallowed in the defeat.
Rangers: New York blew a two-goal lead in the third period on Thursday, losing 4-3 to the Kings in overtime at Staples Center. The Rangers, who conclude a three-game California swing today, are 8-4-2 in their last 14 games.
Keep an eye on…
Sharks: Tomas Hertl. The third year forward was pulled off his regular line midway through the Coyotes game, but scored a goal later when he was placed back in his regular spot on the left of Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski. That ended a six-game goal drought for Hertl, who has one point in each of his last three games (1g, 2a).
[KURZ: Vlasic, Nieto hurt in Sharks loss to Arizona]
Rangers: Rick Nash. The Rangers’ veteran winger has one point in each of his last three games against the Sharks (2g, 1a) and has eight goals in his last 12 games when facing San Jose. The 31-year-old is scoreless in four games since returning from a left leg injury that kept him out for 20 games, however.
Probable lines
Sharks
Tomas Hertl – Joe Thornton – Joe Pavelski
Melker Karlsson – Logan Couture – Joonas Donskoi
Tommy Wingels – Patrick Marleau – Joel Ward
Nick Spaling – Chris Tierney – Dainius Zubrus
Paul Martin – Brent Burns
Brenden Dillon – Roman Polak
Dylan DeMelo – Justin Braun
Martin Jones (confirmed starter)
James Reimer
Rangers
Rick Nash – Derick Brassard – Mats Zuccarello
Chris Kreider – Derek Stepan – Jesper Fast
J.T. Miller – Eric Staal – Kevin Hayes
Viktor Stalberg – Dominic Moore – Tanner Glass
Ryan McDonagh – Dan Girardi
Marc Staal – Dan Boyle
Keith Yandle – Kevin Klein
Henrik Lundqvist
Antti Raanta
Vitals
Sharks
Goals per game: 2.91 (4th)
Goals-against per game: 2.59 (15th)
Power play: 22.0 percent (5th)
Penalty kill: 79.2 percent (23rd)
Rangers
Goals per game: 2.80 (5th)
Goals-against per game: 2.59 (16th)
Power play: 18.2 percent (17th)
Penalty kill: 77.4 percent (27th)
Injuries/Scratches
Sharks: Marc-Edouard Vlasic (lower body), Matt Nieto (hand) and Matt Tennyson (head) are out.
Rangers: Dylan McIlrath (knee) is day-to-day.
Season series
The Rangers blanked the Sharks at Madison Square Garden on Oct. 19, 4-0, behind 22 saves by Antti Raanta.