Preview: Ducks at Sharks

DUCKS (37-23-11) at SHARKS (42-21-7)
10:30 p.m. ET; PRIME, CSN-CA, NHL.TV

Ducks team scope

The Anaheim Ducks have a chance to move within four points of the San Jose Sharks for first place in the Pacific Division in the finale of their five-game regular-season series. The Ducks are 2-0-2 against the Sharks and will play the second game of a back-to-back after losing 2-1 to the Buffalo Sabres in a 10-round shootout at Honda Center on Friday. "We need points in every hockey game," coach Randy Carlyle said after the loss. "Our approach has been we'll just take it one game at a time. We'll approach it that it's the most important game of the year and we'll get ourselves ready. We're going into a tough building, but we've played well in there before. We're not shaking in our boots by going in there." The Ducks did not have a morning skate and Carlyle has not announced who will start. No. 1 goaltender John Gibson (lower body) has missed the past three games and nine of the past 10, and is not expected to be available to play. Jonathan Bernier, who has started nine of the past 10, made 30 saves against the Sabres. Carlyle can either use Bernier in back-to-back games or start Jhonas Enroth, who hasn't played a game for the Ducks this season. He was 0-3-1 with a 3.94 goals-against average in six games for the Toronto Maple Leafs before being traded to Anaheim on Jan. 10, and has spent much of the season in the American Hockey League. Enroth is 5-0-0 with a 1.33 GAA against San Jose.

Sharks team scope

The Sharks will try to bounce back in the finale of their six-game homestand after losing 4-1 to the St. Louis Blues on Thursday. San Jose hasn't lost consecutive games in regulation since Jan. 11 ( 3-2 to the Calgary Flames) and Jan. 14 (4-0 to the Blues). "We were not anywhere near good enough the other night, and we'll try to answer that tonight," captain Joe Pavelski said. The Sharks had 20 shots against St. Louis, matching their season low, and allowed 36, one away from their season high. "I think as a group our game wasn't where we wanted it to be, but you have to give them credit too," coach Peter DeBoer said. "They were very good and very desperate. There's not a lot we have to fix there, but there's some things we want to get corrected." Goaltender Martin Jones, who backed up Aaron Dell against St. Louis, will make his 57th start of the season. Jones is 2-2-0 with a 2.24 GAA against Anaheim this season. Brent Burns has 27 goals, the most among NHL defensemen, but has gone 11 straight games without one. "The messaging from us to him is not to worry about it," DeBoer said. "He's getting his looks. So those are going to go in."

Ducks projected lineup

Rickard Rakell -- Ryan Getzlaf -- Patrick Eaves
Andrew Cogliano -- Ryan Kesler -- Jakob Silfverberg
Nick Ritchie -- Antoine Vermette -- Corey Perry
Chris Wagner -- Nate Thompson -- Jared Boll
Cam Fowler -- Sami Vatanen
Hampus Lindholm -- Josh Manson
Kevin Bieksa -- Brandon Montour
Jonathan Bernier
Jhonas Enroth
Scratched:Ondrej Kase, Logan Shaw, Korbinian Holzer
Injured:John Gibson (lower body), Simon Despres (upper body), Clayton Stoner (lower body)

Sharks projected lineup

Jannik Hansen -- Joe Thornton -- Joe Pavelski
Patrick Marleau -- Logan Couture -- Joel Ward
Joonas Donskoi -- Tomas Hertl -- Mikkel Boedker
Micheal Haley -- Chris Tierney -- Marcus Sorensen
Paul Martin -- Brent Burns
Marc-Edouard Vlasic -- Justin Braun
Brenden Dillon -- Dylan DeMelo
Martin Jones
Aaron Dell
Scratched: Ryan Carpenter
Injured:David Schlemko (lower body), Melker Karlsson (lower body)

Status report

Schlemko skated again but will miss his eighth straight game. ... Karlsson, who did not skate, will miss his fourth straight game. ... Shaw, who has been a healthy scratch the past two games after being in the lineup for 49 straight, might replace Boll.

Who's hot

Getzlaf has nine points (three goals, six assists) in his past six games. Rakell is on a four-game goal streak. ... Couture has 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in his past 10 games. Pavelski has 11 points (eight goals, three assists) in his past 10 games.