{coyotes} SHARKS (23-18-3) at COYOTES (22-18-5)

Wednesday 20 January 2016

{coyotes} SHARKS (23-18-3) at COYOTES (22-18-5)

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Thursday, January 21, 2016

9:00 PM ET

SHARKS (23-18-3) at COYOTES (22-18-5)

TV: CSN-CA, FS-A

Season series: The San Jose Sharks went 3-1-1 against the Arizona Coyotes last season. Sharks forward Joe Pavelski scored six goals, including a hat trick in a 3-2 win at Arizona on Jan. 13; Logan Couture had one goal and five assists. Shane Doan led the Coyotes with three goals and six points.

Sharks team scope: Forward Dainius Zubrus, who has missed six games with an upper-body injury, took part in a full practice Wednesday and could be in the lineup. "That was a big step today getting him a full-contact practice," coach Peter DeBoer told CSN Bay Area. The Sharks and Coyotes are tied for second place in the Pacific Division. "I don't think it's a flash in the pan. I think they're for real," DeBoer said. "They've injected a lot of youth, a lot of speed into their lineup, a lot of skill. Those young guys they've put in there have really made an impact, and that's rare, but it's for real." Goalie Martin Jones will start after getting the night off in a 4-3 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Monday. San Jose placed forward Ben Smith on waivers Wednesday.

Coyotes team scope: Arizona has eight healthy defenseman, and coach Dave Tippett said Klas Dahlbeck, who has been scratched in each of the past two games, will play. Tippett also said Jarred Tinordi, acquired in a trade with the Montreal Canadiens last week, likely wouldn't play. Tinordi has yet to make his Coyotes debut. "[Dahlbeck] missing a couple of games had nothing to do with how he's playing," Tippett told the Coyotes website. "It's just a process that young defensemen go through. It's good for them to take a step back and watch a couple of games. He'll go back in [Thursday] and he'll be a good player for us." Louis Domingue likely will be in goal; he made 26 saves in a 2-1 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Monday. The game is the sixth of a seven-game homestand for the Coyotes (2-2-1).