Preview: It doesn't get any easier for Blue Jackets with Sharks circling

GAME 66: BLUE JACKETS (32-28-5) AT SHARKS (35-21-9)
Location:SAP Center, 9 P.M., Sunday
TV:Fox Sports Ohio/Fox Sports Go (Jeff Rimer, Jody Shelley); Fox Sports West, Sportsnet 360
Radio:97.1 FM & BlueJackets.com (Bob McElligott)
There's not much time for the Blue Jackets to reflect upon what went wrong in the first two games of their West Coast road trip to play the California-based teams this week.
After being swept in back-to-back games by the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks, in a pair of intense physical matchups, the Blue Jackets have just 17 games left to secure a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and have the San Jose Sharks up next.
San Jose might be the Golden State's best team, sitting second in the Pacific Division with 79 points and holding a 6-3-1 record in its past 10 games. The Sharks are also looking for their third straight win and will pose another tall order for Columbus, which lost 5-2 against the Kings on Thursday at Staples Center and 4-2 against the Ducks on Friday night at Honda Center.
The Blue Jackets played well in the first period of each game, before issues in the second periods led to multiple goals allowed and eventually, stinging defeats.
"You get ready to play your next one, that's all you can do," Columbus coach John Tortorella said, following the loss in Anaheim. "You can't get down, you can't overthink it. We're not going to beat 'em up [as coaches]. We're going to keep on trying to grow."

Unlike last season, when the Blue Jackets stormed through the Eastern Conference for a franchise-record 108 points, this season has come with a lot more challenges.
They've fought inconsistent play from veterans and young players alike. They've stayed afloat through multiple injuries and continue to do so with two young defensemen still on injured reserve and center Alex Wennberg missing the game Friday against the Ducks because of an upper-body injury.
They've also struggled on special teams, on and off, and haven't stemmed the tide of momentum when it begins to roll against them mid-game.
"I thought we had opportunities [Friday]," Tortorella said. "I thought we played a good game other than a couple sections of it, just a couple minutes, but we find ways to lose - and that's what we have to turn around. So, we're just going to stay with it and keep going about our business."
SERIES RECORD
2017-18 Season: (0-1-0). This is the finale of the two-game season series. The Sharks won the first game, 3-1, on Feb. 2 at Nationwide Arena.
All-time (W-L-T-O): 20-31-0-5 overall; 6-19-0-2 in San Jose
WHO'S HOT
Blue Jackets: Sonny Milano scored his 10th goal of the season in the loss to the Ducks on Friday, which was his second goal in three games since returning from a torn oblique muscle.
Sharks: Joe Pavelski scored two goals in the Sharks' 7-2 win against the Blackhawks on Thursday, which gave him seven points (three goals, four assists) in the past four games.
EYES ON: THE BLUE JACKETS
EYES ON: THE SHARKS
PROJECTED LINEUPS
BLUE JACKETS
Forwards
Artemi Panarin - Pierre-Luc Dubois - Cam Atkinson
Sonny Milano - Nick Foligno - Oliver Bjorkstrand
Thomas Vanek- Brandon Dubinsky - Boone Jenner
Matt Calvert - Mark Letestu - Lukas Sedlak
Defensemen
Zach Werenski - Seth Jones
Jack Johnson - Ryan Murray
Ian Cole - David Savard
Goaltenders
Sergei Bobrovsky
Joonas Korpisalo
Others: Scott Harrington, Taylor Chorney, Alexander Wennberg (upper body), Markus Hannikainen, Josh Anderson (knee)
Injured reserve: Dean Kukan (upper body), Markus Nutivaara (upper body)
SHARKS
Forwards
Evander Kane - Joe Pavelski - Joonas Donskoi
Tomas Hertl - Logan Couture - Mikkel Boedker
Timo Meier - Chris Tierney - Kevin Labanc
Barclay Goodrow - Eric Fehr - Melker Karlsson
Defensemen
Joakim Ryan - Brent Burns
Marc-Edouard Vlasic - Justin Braun
Brenden Dillon - Dylan Demelo
Goaltenders
Marin Jones
Aaron Dell
Others: Paul Martin, Marcus Sorensen, Jannik Hansen, Tim Heed
Injured Reserve:Joe Thornton (knee), Joel Ward (shoulder)