Sharks at Canucks preview

SHARKS (21-24-4) at CANUCKS (26-18-4)
10 p.m. ET; CBC, SN, SN360, SN1, CITY, NBCSCA, NHL.TV

The 40-year-old center, who is in his 22nd season, is three points shy of becoming the 14th player in League history to reach 1,500.
San Jose has lost two straight games, including 4-0 to the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday, after going 4-1-1 in its previous six.
Thatcher Demko will start for the third time in the past 19 games for Vancouver, which has won three of its past four and seven straight at home.

Players to watch

Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson has seven points (one goal, six assists) in his past seven games and is two shy of 600 in the NHL.
Canucks forward Bo Horvat has 13 points (six goals, seven assists) in his past nine games.

They said it

"I just think [Marcus Sorensen] has been off and for me, I need more relentlessness, I need urgency, being on the inside a little more and not so much perimeter, and he understands that and he's not the only one, there's a few other guys in there as well. So it's a bit of a message and at the same time, [Joachim Blichfeld] is an offensive player and we can always use a little of that in our lineup." -- Sharks coach Bob Boughner on scratching Sorensen for the first time this season and moving Blichfeld to the top line in his third NHL game
"We're playing well on home ice, the crowds have been into it, it's easy to get up for these games so you know, hopefully (we) can get another one on home ice tonight before the [NHL All-Star break]."-- Canucks captain Bo Horvat

Sharks projected lineup

Evander Kane -- Tomas Hertl -- Joachim Blichfeld
Barclay Goodrow -- Antti Suomela -- Patrick Marleau
Timo Meier -- Joe Thornton -- Kevin Labanc
Melker Karlsson -- Joel Kellman -- Stefan Noesen
Marc-Edouard Vlasic -- Erik Karlsson
Brenden Dillon -- Brent Burns
Radim Simek -- Mario Ferraro
Aaron Dell
Martin Jones
Scratched:Tim Heed, Marcus Sorensen
Injured:Logan Couture (fractured ankle), Dalton Prout (upper body)

Canucks projected lineup

J.T. Miller -- Elias Pettersson -- Jake Virtanen
Tanner Pearson -- Bo Horvat -- Loui Eriksson
Antoine Roussel -- Adam Gaudette -- Brock Boeser
Tyler Motte -- Jay Beagle -- Brandon Sutter
Quinn Hughes -- Chris Tanev
Alexander Edler -- Troy Stecher
Oscar Fantenberg -- Tyler Myers
Thatcher Demko
Jacob Markstrom
Scratched:Zack MacEwen, Jordie Benn, Tim Schaller
Injured:Josh Leivo (kneecap), Micheal Ferland (upper body), Tyler Graovac (lower body)

Status report

Sorensen, who was playing left wing on the third line, has 10 points (five goals, five assists) in 46 games this season but one assist his past 19.

Stat pack

Marleau is one point from 1,100 with the Sharks. … Miller has five points (one goal, four assists) in his past five games.