Sharks @ Ducks

Who will WIN this matchup?

San Jose Sharks (9-11-3)

@ Anaheim Ducks (8-13-6)

Starting Goalies:

Devan Dubnyk (SJ): Confirmed

John Gibson (ANA): Unconfirmed

Current odds:

San Jose Sharks: (-115)

Anaheim Ducks: (-115)

• A pair of bottom dwellers in the West Division will clash Friday when the Anaheim Ducks play host to the San Jose Sharks for the first of two games in consecutive days. The Ducks enter with a minus-24 goal differential, while the Sharks are at minus-22, and the teams showed just how similar they are the last time they met at Anaheim. In early February, the teams also played games on consecutive days at Anaheim, and both went to shootouts. The Sharks won 5-4 in a Feb. 5 shootout, with the Ducks grabbing the 2-1 victory on Feb. 6. They have met once since, with the Sharks earning a 3-2 victory at home on Feb. 15.

• San Jose also has a slight momentum advantage, ending a three-game losing streak Monday with a 3-2 overtime victory over the St. Louis Blues. The Ducks will enter off a lackluster 5-1 defeat to the Los Angeles Kings at home Wednesday, putting them at a slight rest disadvantage as well.

• A just completed run of what was scheduled to be eight consecutive home games did not turn out as planned for San Jose. While one game was postponed, they went 2-4-1 in the games that were played, giving up at least four goals in five of those games.

• Top goaltender Martin Jones has struggled all season, with Devan Dubnyk getting consecutive starts on Monday for the first time all season. The duo is expected to share the load at Anaheim in back-to-back games, and Dubnyk could get the call Friday. Boughner’s thought process fell just short of a guaranteed start Friday for Dubnyk, but simply considering the move is a statement on Jones’ play.

• The Ducks figure to split the goaltending load this weekend between No. 1 option John Gibson and backup Ryan Miller. Gibson gave up five goals to the Kings on Wednesday, but Anaheim’s major issue was that play in front of their goalie and with the opponent in net.

• Outside of a single goal, the Ducks were unable to break through against Kings goaltender Troy Grosenick, who was starting in an NHL game for the first time in more than six years and for just the third time ever. Grosenick, whose last start came for the Sharks in November of 2014, stopped 33 of the Ducks’ 34 shots. He was pressed into service because of injury and COVID-19 protocol constraints.