San Jose Sharks vs. Calgary Flames: Playoff Position Battle Preview
The San Jose Sharks are currently on a road trip and have had a decent start, earning three out of four potential points. Today, they have a chance to improve their playoff position by facing the Calgary Flames. While the Sharks are currently outside the playoff picture, a win could help them move up in the standings, potentially surpassing the Anaheim Ducks. With other Pacific Division teams playing, the Sharks could climb to third place with a victory.
The Calgary Flames, who are struggling this season, are ranked 31st in the league with a 21-26-6 record. They have lost five consecutive games and are 3-5-2 in their last ten matchups. The Flames recently traded Rasmus Andersson to the Vegas Golden Knights and acquired Zach Whitecloud, who is expected to play against the Sharks. Scoring has been a challenge for the Flames, with Nazem Kadri leading the team in points and Matt Coronato leading in goals.
The Flames' goaltending duties are split between Dustin Wolf and Devin Cooley, with Wolf having a 15-20-3 record and Cooley a 6-6-3 record. Calgary's power play has been struggling, ranking 30th in the league with a 15.5% success rate. This could be an opportunity for the Sharks to boost their confidence, especially considering their penalty kill has also been underperforming.
The Sharks are waiting to see if Kiefer Sherwood will be available to play, while Vincent Iorio was placed on waivers to potentially make room for returning players. Alex Nedeljkovic is expected to start in goal for the Sharks. The Flames will be missing Blake Coleman due to an upper-body injury, but their lineup includes key players like Mikael Backlund and Matt Coronato.
Both teams will be looking to secure a crucial win in this matchup, with the Sharks aiming to climb the standings and the Flames hoping to end their losing streak. It will be an important game for both teams as they continue their push towards the playoffs.