Sharks at Devils preview

SHARKS (26-29-4) at DEVILS (22-27-10)
7 p.m. ET; MSG+, NBCSCA, NHL.TV

The Sharks acquired a second-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft and a conditional third-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft from the Washington Capitals on Wednesday for Dillon. San Jose is 12 points behind the Arizona Coyotes for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Devils goalie Cory Schneider was recalled from Binghamton of the American Hockey League and will back up Mackenzie Blackwood, who seeks his fifth straight win. Goalie Louis Domingue, who started for New Jersey in a 3-0 loss at the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday, is out for precautionary reasons.

Players to watch

Sharks defenseman Brent Burns has eight points (two goals, six assists) during a six-game point streak.
Devils goalie Mackenzie Blackwood is 5-0-1 with a 1.94 goals-against average, .947 save percentage and two shutouts in his past seven games (six starts).

They said it

"There's a lot of rumors (with the NHL Trade Deadline approaching), but I think the guys are pretty professional about it. They understand that it could happen. But we've been a pretty decent team with the ability to focus in those situations and be a team-first kind of group." -- Sharks coach Bob Boughner
"I'd say this is the toughest 3-5 days of the season because the trading deadline is approaching. We all know our situation, so it's something you have to manage for sure."-- Devils coach Alain Nasreddine

Sharks projected lineup

Timo Meier -- Joe Thornton -- Kevin Labanc
Patrick Marleau -- Barclay Goodrow -- Stefan Noesen
Melker Karlsson -- Joel Kellman -- Dylan Gambrell
Marcus Sorensen -- Alexander True -- Antti Suomela
Marc-Edouard Vlasic -- Mario Ferraro
Jake Middleton -- Tim Heed
Radim Simek -- Brent Burns
Martin Jones
Aaron Dell
Scratched: Noah Gregor, Nicolas Meloche
Injured:Logan Couture (fractured ankle), Tomas Hertl (knee), Dalton Prout (concussion), Erik Karlsson (broken thumb)
Suspended: Evander Kane

Devils projected lineup

Jack Hughes -- Nico Hischier -- Kyle Palmieri
Jesper Bratt -- Pavel Zacha -- Nikita Gusev
Miles Wood -- Travis Zajac -- Wayne Simmonds
John Hayden -- Kevin Rooney -- Joey Anderson
Mirco Mueller -- P.K. Subban
Dakota Mermis
-- Damon Severson
Colton White -- Connor Carrick
Mackenzie Blackwood
Cory Schneider
Scratched:Louis Domingue
Injured:Sami Vatanen (lower body), Nick Merkley (eye), Will Butcher (upper body)

Status report

Couture participated in the morning skate but the forward will not play. ... Kane, a forward, will serve the final game of a three-game suspension for elbowing Winnipeg Jets defenseman Neal Pionk on Feb. 14. … Meloche was recalled from San Jose of the American Hockey League on Wednesday but the defenseman will not play. ... Vatanen did off-ice conditioning and the defenseman remains day to day. ... Butcher was injured at St. Louis and the defenseman has no timetable for a return. ... Mermis will make his Devils debut. ... Schneider last played for the Devils on Jan. 18.

Stat pack

Marleau needs one goal to pass Mike Modano (561) for 25th place in NHL history. ... Palmieri has 13 points (seven goals, six assists) in his past 14 games. … Hischier will play his 200th NHL game.