Morning Skate: Sharks go for sixth straight against Sens

Programming note: Sharks-Senators coverage starts tonight at 7pm with Sharks Pregame Live on CSN California.

Where they stand
Sharks: 23-18-2, 48 points, 3rd Pacific Division
Senators: 21-18-6, 48 points, 6th Atlantic Division

The latest

Sharks: San Jose has won five straight, including a 4-3 overtime win over Dallas on Saturday, their third in a row at SAP Center. Marc-Edouard Vlasic posted two goals and one assist in the victory, while Tomas Hertl netted the game-winner. The Sharks visit Arizona on Thursday, and then return home for three more games before the All-Star break.

Senators: Ottawa dropped the first two of a season-long five-game road trip before getting past the Kings at Staples Center on Saturday, 5-3. The Senators erased a 3-1 deficit with less than 12 minutes to go in the third to top the Pacific Division frontrunners. Craig Anderson stopped 30 shots in his 200th career win.

Keep an eye on…

Sharks: Tomas Hertl. The smile has returned to the 22-year-old’s face of late, as Hertl has six points (3g, 3a) in the five games since being placed on the left side of the top line. On Saturday, he scored the game winner and set up the Sharks’ first goal, too. Prior to the line change on Jan. 9, Hertl had just two goals in his previous 34 games.

Senators: Mike Hoffman. The left wing leads the Senators with 20 goals and a plus-10 rating, building off of a strong rookie campaign last season when he posted 27 goals. A fifth round pick in 2009, the 26-year-old leads the Senators in goals on the road (9) and power play scores (5).

Probable lines

Sharks
Tomas Hertl – Joe Thornton – Joe Pavelski
Matt Nieto – Patrick Marleau – Joel Ward
Joonas Donskoi – Logan Couture – Tommy Wingels
Melker Karlsson – Chris Tierney – Mike Brown

Marc-Edouard Vlasic – Justin Braun
Paul Martin – Brent Burns
Brenden Dillon – Dylan DeMelo

Alex Stalock (confirmed starter)
Martin Jones

Senators
Mike Hoffman – Kyle Turris – Mark Stone
Milan Michalek – Mike Zibanejad – Bobby Ryan
Curtis Lazar – Jean-Gabriel Pageau – Alex Chiasson
Shane Prince – Zack Smith – Chris Neil

Fredrik Claesson – Erik Karlsson
Patrick Wiercioch – Cody Ceci
Marc Methot – Mark Borowiecki

Craig Anderson
Andrew Hammond

Vitals

Sharks
Goals per game: 2.84 (5th)
Goals-against per game: 2.72 (21st)
Power play: 21.5 percent (5th)
Penalty kill: 80.2 percent (15th)

Senators
Goals per game: 2.71 (10th)
Goals-against per game: 2.98 (27th)
Power play: 17.9 percent (17th)
Penalty kill: 75.8 percent (29th)

Injuries/Scratches

Sharks: Dainius Zubrus (upper body) is out. Raffi Torres (right knee) is on a conditioning assignment with the AHL Barracuda.

Senators: Chris Phillips (back) and Clarke MacArthur (concussion) are out.

Season series

Ottawa beat the Sharks on Dec. 18 at Canadian Tire Center, 4-2, behind one goal and one assist from Bobby Ryan and 31 saves by Craig Anderson. Alex Stalock took the loss in net for San Jose, allowing four goals on 35 shots.

Odds and ends

*Joe Thornton has a five-game point streak (2g, 5a), and has at least one point in 12 of the last 13 games.

*Patrick Marleau has just one assist in the last six games, and no goals in his last eight.

*Erik Karlsson leads all NHL defensemen with 46 points. Brent Burns is second with 40 points.

*Marc-Edouard Vlasic has three goals, four points and 10 shots on goal in his last two games.

*Ottawa is 2-8-1 in its last 11 road games.