The San Jose Sharks are back home and crazily, still in the playoff race. As has been the case all season, no one seems to want to take a strangle hold on those wild card spots, so the Sharks are still well within striking distance, just four points back of the second spot with games in hand on every other team ahead of them. But just behind the Sharks are the St. Louis Blues, who pay a visit to the Shark Tank today.<\/p>\n
The Blues have not been kind to the Sharks this season.
St. Louis won the first two \u2014 a 3-2 overtime loss on March 6 and a 2-1 overtime loss on March 26. It was in that 2-1 overtime loss that Yaroslav Askarov got hurt. Askarov is apparently healthy enough to start today, but fans have to wonder if he\u2019s 100%.<\/p>\n
For the Blues, look for a similar lineup to last week, except for one major change. Top line center Robert Thomas appears to be healthy enough to play. Thomas missed last week\u2019s game, but whatever ailed him is better now and he\u2019ll be in the lineup tonight. Considering that it was a tough go of it for the Sharks last week, adding Thomas to the mix certainly isn\u2019t going to make things better.<\/p>\n
San Jose Sharks lines tonight<\/p>\n
San Jose Hockey Now\u2019s Sheng Peng reports<\/a> that the lines will be the same as the last game, when the Sharks beat the Columbus Blue Jackets in regulation. The big change is that Askarov will be in the net with Alex Nedeljkovic backing up.<\/p>\n Forwards Defense Goaltenders St. Louis Blues vs. San Jose Sharks<\/p>\n
Igor Chernyshov \u2014 Macklin Celebrini \u2014 Will Smith
William Eklund \u2014 Alexander Wennberg \u2014 Kiefer Sherwood
Collin Graf \u2014 Michael Misa \u2014 Tyler Toffoli
Barclay Goodrow \u2014 Zack Ostapchuk \u2014 Adam Gaudette<\/p>\n
Dmitry Orlov \u2014 John Klingberg
Shakir Mukhamadullin \u2014 Mario Ferraro
Sam Dickinson \u2014 Vincent Desharnais<\/p>\n
Yaroslav Askarov
Alex Nedeljkovic<\/p>\n