Preview: Sharks at Ducks

SHARKS (21-12-1) at DUCKS (17-12-6)
10 p.m. ET; SN, PRIME, CSN-CA, NHL.TV

Sharks team scope

The Christmas break provided an extra night at home for the San Jose Sharks, who skated in San Jose on Tuesday morning before taking a short flight to Anaheim. "It's always tricky getting back into it, flying the same day and playing a game," defenseman Paul Martin said. "I think we know how important these points are, so I'm sure we'll be focused and ready to go." The Sharks won six of their past seven and the final two before the break. They defeated the Edmonton Oilers 3-2 on Dec. 23, when Kevin Labanc scored twice, including in overtime for his first multigoal game of the season. Patrick Marleau will play his 1,446th NHL game, tying him with Tim Horton for 25th place.

Ducks team scope

The Anaheim Ducks were inconsistent on a recent six-game road trip but are hoping a return to Honda Center, where they're 10-4-1 this season, will aid a return to form. "We're 35 games in and the halfway point is just around the corner," coach Randy Carlyle said. "We look at reinforcing some of the things we've done for parts of games and parts of the season that need to become staples, day in and day out." Carlyle said he wants to see accountability for mistakes and greater execution within systems. He said they're too far into the season to have system lapses. "There shouldn't be any confusion, any question marks about what is expected in certain situations," Carlyle said. "That's been our message. It was our message before we left for the break and it's our message again when they came back this morning, that we're going to hold them accountable to that."

Sharks projected lineup

Patrick Marleau -- Joe Thornton -- Joe Pavelski
Kevin Labanc -- Logan Couture -- Mikkel Boedker
Timo Meier -- Chris Tierney -- Joonas Donskoi
Melker Karlsson -- Micheal Haley -- Joel Ward
Paul Martin -- Brent Burns
Marc-Edouard Vlasic -- Justin Braun
Brenden Dillon -- Dylan DeMelo
Martin Jones
Aaron Dell
Scratched: Tommy Wingels, David Schlemko, Matt Nieto
Injured: Tomas Hertl (knee)

Ducks projected lineup

Rickard Rakell -- Ryan Getzlaf -- Corey Perry
Andrew Cogliano -- Ryan Kesler -- Jakob Silfverberg
Nick Ritchie -- Antoine Vermette -- Ondrej Kase
Joseph Cramarossa -- Logan Shaw -- Stefan Noesen
Cam Fowler -- Sami Vatanen
Hampus Lindholm -- Josh Manson
Kevin Bieksa -- Shea Theodore
John Gibson
Jonathan Bernier
Scratched:Korbinian Holzer, Jared Boll
Injured: Nate Thompson (Achilles), Simon Despres (concussion symptoms), Clayton Stoner (lower body)

Status report

Wingels was the extra forward at the morning skate. He was scratched in the game before the break. … Noesen and Boll took rushes on the right side of the fourth line. Noesen has primarily centered the fourth line since his call-up from San Diego of the American Hockey League on Dec. 7 but has played right wing throughout much of his career.

Who's hot

Pavelski has two goals and three assists during a three-game point streak, and 11 points in the past 10 games. … Burns has four goals and seven assists over the past 10 games. … Thornton has 10 assists in the past 10 games. … Jones is 8-3-0 with 22 goals allowed in the past 11 games.