The Canucks are 2-3-1 after a four-game winning streak and are coming off a 4-1 loss at the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday. Goaltender Jacob Markstrom will make his seventh straight start. Backup goalie Aaron Dell will make his fourth start of the season for the Sharks, who will play the first of back-to-back games. The Sharks are 4-1-0 in their past five games, but they're coming off a 5-1 home loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday. San Jose was 5-0-0 against the Canucks last season.
Players to watch
Canucks center Bo Horvat has two goals, including one game-winner, and four assists in his past four games. Sharks forward Joonas Donskoi has five goals, all in his past nine games. Donskoi was promoted from the third to the first line against Tampa Bay.
They said it
"It's never easy when you get hurt. All you can do is just stay positive and have a good rehab. We've been doing a good job. I'm happy to be back here, and I'm ready to go ." -- Canucks forward Loui Eriksson on returning to the lineup from a knee injury "We have to bounce back. We have to be a lot better than we were against Tampa Bay. I think that's the sign of a good team. Every time you play a bad game you bounce back and get back on track." -- Sharks forward Joonas Donskoi
Nilsson returned after missing three games for the birth of his child. Goaltender Thatcher Demko was returned to Utica of the American Hockey League. Burmistrov will play after being scratched against Anaheim. … Martin has been skating with the Sharks for a week but will miss his 13th straight game. Hansen will move from the fourth to the third line, trading spots with Meier.
Stat pack
Boeser has 14 points with five goals and nine assists in 13 games. … Thornton has 1,013 career assists; he is one shy of tying Joe Sakic for 12th place on the NHL's all-time list.
