Sharks' Clowe set to return from shoulder injury

SAN JOSE -- After missing four games with a shoulder injury, San Jose Sharks forward Ryane Clowe will return to the lineup and skate on the third line Wednesday night against the Anaheim Ducks at HP Pavilion.

Clowe hasn't played since the first period against the Los Angeles Kings on March 16 when he aggravated a nagging shoulder injury.

"I feel good," Clowe said after the Sharks' morning skate. "I probably felt pretty good last game, but I just needed a couple extra skates. ... I had a little skate yesterday. I feel good today."

Clowe will skate on a line with center Joe Pavelski and left wing TJ Galiardi. James Sheppard will drop from the third line to the fourth line, bumping Adam Burish out of the lineup.

"I like playing with [Pavelski] when he's a centerman," Clowe said. "He's a smart player and can get you the puck, and vice versa. He likes to shoot it."

Antti Niemi was the first goaltender off the ice for San Jose and is expected to start against Anaheim.

Goaltender Jonas Hiller was first off for the Ducks and likely will start. Viktor Fasth started in Anaheim's 5-3 loss to San Jose on Monday night, allowing four goals on 38 shots.

The Ducks have lost three straight games and, based on their morning skate, likely will shake up their lines. Teemu Selanne skated on the top line with center Ryan Getzlaf and wing Corey Perry.

"Those two guys have been unbelievable this year," Selanne said of Getzlaf and Perry. "I'm excited about tonight. I haven't been able to play with these guys pretty much for years. Only the power play. So I'm like a little boy."

Bobby Ryan skated on the second line with center Peter Holland and rookie Emerson Etem. Kyle Palmieri skated on the fourth line with center David Steckel and wing Brad Staubitz.

"When things don't go right, you're struggling a little bit as a team, you have to shake it up a little bit and go back to the basics and start again," Selanne said. "I really believe, I hate to say this, but sometimes it's good to go through some tough times as a team. You jell together again. I wouldn't say it's been too easy, but you have to find some difficulties, too, during the year. That's how you really become a good team."

Here's how the lineups could look Wednesday night when the Sharks face the Ducks at HP Pavilion:

SHARKS

Martin Havlat - Joe Thornton - Brent Burns

Patrick Marleau - Logan Couture - Tommy Wingels

Ryane Clowe - Joe Pavelski - TJ Galiardi

Andrew Desjardins - Scott Gomez - James Sheppard

Matt Irwin - Dan Boyle

Jason Demers - Marc-Edouard Vlasic

Brad Stuart - Justin Braun

Antti Niemi

Alex Stalock

Injured: Thomas Greiss (neck), Tim Kennedy (upper body)

Scratched: Michal Handzus, Adam Burish

DUCKS

Teemu Selanne - Ryan Getzlaf - Corey Perry

Bobby Ryan - Peter Holland - Emerson Etem

Andrew Cogliano - Saku Koivu - Daniel Winnik

Kyle Palmieri - David Steckel - Brad Staubitz

Sheldon Souray - Francois Beauchemin

Cam Fowler - Bryan Allen

Luca Sbisa - Toni Lydman

Jonas Hiller

Viktor Fasth

Injured: Nick Bonino (lower body)

Scratched: Matt Beleskey, Ben Lovejoy