The injury-plagued Boston Bruins will gingerly dip their toes into The Shark Tank tonight as they are scheduled to take on the perennial (regular season) powerhouse San Jose Sharks. The B's enter tonight's game as losers of their last three contests, while the Sharks currently own the best record in the NHL (30-10-7) and will be looking for their third straight win.
Know Your Enemy
San Jose Sharks (30-10-7)
Head Coach: Todd McLellan
SB Nation's Sharks Blogs: Fear The Fin (Sharks Blog) & Battle of California (All Your Golden State Hockey Needs)
Leading Goal Scorer:
Goaltending:
Injury Report
Johnny Boychuk (ribs) and Dennis Wideman (leg) were also banged up in the game last night. There is no word on their availability for tonight's game.
Notes:
- The Bruins called up defenseman Andy Wozniewski from Providence in case Boychuk or Wideman can't play tonight.
- The Sharks will start Evgeni Nabokov in goal. With Tuukka Rask getting the start last night, I would expect Tim Thomas to get the nod tonight.
- According to Fluto Shinzawa of the Boston Globe, there have been some pranksters running amok in the Bruins dressing room on this road trip:
In what seems to be a road ritual, ex-Shark Marco Sturm is the latest to take shots from his current teammates. When Sturm arrives at HP Pavilion later today, he will find a life-sized cutout of himself wearing Sharks gear standing in his stall. Yesterday, an unknown visitor at the Honda Center placed a mural-sized black-and-white sketch of Shawn Thornton in an Anaheim jersey in front of the visiting dressing room. As expected, Thornton took plenty of heat.
- The Sharks are saying that Manny Malhotra will return to the lineup tonight.
- Mark Stuart is getting closer to returning to the lineup, but is not expected to play tonight.
- The Sharks have the NHL's leading goal scorer in Patrick Marleau (31 goals) and the NHL's leader in assists in Joe Thornton (49 assists).
- Line of the Day from Fear The Fin:
The Bruins head in to tonight's game more banged up than Snookie's face
- The game starts at 10:30 PM ET and can be seen on NESN or NHL Network. The Public Skate (open thread) starts here at 10:00.
Today's Obligatory Embarrassing Sharks Fan YouTube Video
A lot of you have probably already seen this, but it is a true YouTube instant classic. The best part is about 2:40 in. I now present you with "the 2" X 4" to beat" this kid with.