Senators at Sharks preview

SENATORS (17-23-5) SHARKS (26-13-7)
10 p.m. ET; CBC, SN1, TVAS, NBCSCA, NHL.TV

The Sharks are 12-2-2 in their past 16 games and have scored at least five goals in five of their past eight games.
Defenseman Erik Karlsson will face his former team for the second time since he was traded to San Jose on Sept. 13 with forward Francis Perron for defenseman Dylan DeMelo, forwards Chris Tierney, Rudolfs Balcers and Joshua Norris and multiple draft picks.
Karlsson, who went without a point in a 6-2 loss at Ottawa on Dec. 1, has 25 points (one goal, 24 assists) in his past 15 games.
The Senators have won two straight following an eight-game losing streak (0-7-1) and have allowed at least four goals in seven of their past 10 games.
Forward Darren Archibald will replace forward Colin White (shoulder) in the lineup and make his Ottawa debut. He was acquired by the Senators with goalie Anders Nilsson in a trade with the Vancouver Canucks for goalie Mike McKenna, forward Tom Pyatt and a sixth-round pick in the 2019 NHL Draft on Jan 2.

Players to watch

Senators forward Ryan Dzingel has seven points (four goals, three assists) in his past six games.
Sharks defenseman Brent Burns has 15 points (four goals, 11 assists) in his past eight games.

They said it

"It's going to be fun to play them again tonight. A lot of good friends over there, and there are a lot of friends back home watching." -- Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson
"I'm just looking forward to having fun with it tonight and hopefully can stick it to my old team." -- Senators defenseman Dylan DeMelo

Senators projected lineup

Brady Tkachuk -- Zack Smith -- Mark Stone
Rudolfs Balcers -- Chris Tierney -- Mikkel Boedker
Ryan Dzingel -- Jean-Gabriel Pageau -- Bobby Ryan
Darren Archibald -- Nick Paul -- Magnus Paajarvi
Maxime Lajoie -- Cody Ceci
Christian Wolanin -- Dylan DeMelo
Mark Borowiecki -- Christian Jaros
Anders Nilsson
Marcus Hogberg
Scratched: Stefan Elliott, Matt Duchene (paternity leave)
Injured:Ben Harpur (upper body), Thomas Chabot (upper body), Craig Anderson (concussion), Justin Falk (concussion), Colin White (shoulder)

Sharks projected lineup

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

Status report

Duchene remained in Ottawa to be with his wife, Ashley, and son, Beau David Newell, who was born Wednesday. He'll miss his third straight game. … Braun (knee) will be a game-time decision but skated on the third pair and said he expects to play. … Vlasic will miss his fifth straight game.

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Stat pack

Stone has five points (two goals, three assists) in his past five games. … Donskoi has 10 points (eight goals, two assists) in his past eight games and has four goals in a three-game goal streak.