Predators at Sharks preview

PREDATORS (40-27-5) at SHARKS (43-20-8)
10:30 p.m. ET; ESPN+, NBCSCA, FS-TN, NHL.TV

The Sharks, 6-1-0 in their past seven games and 15-4-1 in their past 20, also can clinch with if they get one point and the Minnesota Wild lose to the New York Rangers in any fashion; or if Minnesota loses in regulation and the Chicago Blackhawks lose to the Montreal Canadiens in any fashion.
San Jose trails the Calgary Flames by one point for first place in the Pacific Division and Western Conference.
Forward Evander Kane will return to the Sharks lineup after missing seven games with a mid-body injury. During that stretch, Kane was away from the team for five days to be with his wife after a miscarriage.
The Predators, 3-4-0 in their past seven games, is in second place in the Central Division, one point behind the Winnipeg Jets, who host the Flames earlier Saturday.

Players to watch

Sharks forward Timo Meier has seven points (five goals, two assists) in his past seven games.
Predators forward Viktor Arvidsson leads Nashville with 29 goals and needs two goals to tie his NHL career high of 31, set in 2016-17.

They said it

"They always seem to play us tough. They're a fast team, generate a lot, defend well. They're always a good challenge for us." -- Predators coach Peter Laviolette
"I know both teams are in playoff-type mindset and are going to play hard. Usually those are tight-checking games, but you never know." -- Sharks coach Peter DeBoer

Predators projected lineup

Filip Forsberg -- Ryan Johansen -- Viktor Arvidsson
Mikael Granlund -- Nick Bonino -- Wayne Simmonds
Calle Jarnkrok -- Colton Sissons -- Craig Smith
Brian Boyle -- Frederick Gaudreau -- Rocco Grimaldi
Roman Josi -- Ryan Ellis
Mattias Ekholm -- P.K. Subban
Matt Irwin -- Yannick Weber
Juuse Saros
Pekka Rinne
Scratched: Kyle Turris, Matt Donovan, Cody McLeod
Injured: Dan Hamhuis (lower body), Zac Rinaldo (shoulder), Miikka Salomaki (upper body)

Sharks projected lineup

Timo Meier -- Logan Couture -- Joe Pavelski
Evander Kane -- Tomas Hertl -- Gustav Nyquist
Marcus Sorensen -- Joe Thornton -- Kevin Labanc
Micheal Haley -- Barclay Goodrow -- Melker Karlsson
Joakim Ryan -- Brent Burns
Marc-Edouard Vlasic -- Tim Heed
Brenden Dillon -- Justin Braun
Martin Jones
Aaron Dell
Scratched: Joonas Donskoi
Injured: Erik Karlsson (groin), Radim Simek (right knee)

Status report

Donskoi stayed on the ice late and likely will not play, but DeBoer said he had yet to make a final decision on his lineup.

Stat pack

Johansen needs one point for 400 in the NHL. … Couture is one point shy of 500 in the NHL. … Hertl has seven points (three goals, four assists) in his past seven games.