All that’s standing between the San Jose Sharks and home-ice advantage in the opening round of the playoffs is a win over a team they haven’t been able to solve this season.
It’s a pivotal season finale Saturday night when the Sharks meet the Minnesota Wild at SAP Center.
San Jose (45-26-10) snapped a four-game skid with a 4-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday.
“It wasn’t a pretty win Customized Los Angeles Chargers Jerseys , but we found a way. Tough time of year, tough circumstances against a real desperate team,” Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said.
Home-ice advantage through the first two rounds of the postseason goes to the team that finishes higher in the regular-season standings. With 100 points, San Jose is in second place in the Pacific Division, one point ahead of the Anaheim Ducks and two in front of the Los Angeles Kings.
All three California teams are in action Saturday. Anaheim travels to meet the Arizona Coyotes, while Los Angeles plays host to the Dallas Stars. Neither the Coyotes nor the Stars are headed to the postseason.
A win over Minnesota locks down second place for San Jose and would come after two crushing losses. On Dec. 10, the Sharks rallied from three goals down at home before falling 4-3 in overtime to the Wild. On Feb. 25, San Jose squandered a two-goal edge and lost 3-2 in overtime in St. Paul.
Brent Burns has two power-play goals against the Wild this season. Minnesota selected Burns 20th overall in the 2003 draft before trading him to the Bay Area in 2011. With 65 points, last season’s Norris Trophy winner is second in the league in scoring among defensemen, one point behind the Stars’ John Klingberg.
Sharks forward Evander Kane is expected to miss his third straight game with an undisclosed injury. However Troy Niklas Jersey Elite , he told the San Jose Mercury News this week that he’ll be good to go for his postseason debut.
“As long as I’ve got two arms and two legs, I’ll be playing no matter what,” said Kane, who has nine goals and five assists in 14 games after being acquired from the Buffalo Sabres at the trade deadline.
The Sharks’ Martin Jones, who collected his 30th win Thursday, is 0-3-2 with a 3.35 goals-against average in his last five starts against Minnesota. Backup Aaron Dell has never faced the Wild.
Regardless of the outcome of this game, Minnesota (44-26-11) will not have the home-ice edge when it faces the Winnipeg Jets in the first round. However, the Wild are looking to avoid their fifth consecutive loss on the road — including a California sweep.
After falling 3-1 to Anaheim on Wednesday, Minnesota dropped a 5-4 overtime decision to Los Angeles.
“We’ve got to get back to playing the right way,” Wild defenseman Nate Prosser said.
Three of Eric Staal’s 41 goals on the season for Minnesota have come versus the Sharks. He needs one more to top his total over the last two seasons combined with the Carolina Hurricanes Alexander Alexeyev Capitals Jersey , New York Rangers and the Wild.
There is a chance that the 33-year-old veteran of nearly 1,100 games might sit out to rest for the postseason, but he’d rather see action.
“I like to play, I love being out there regardless of any situation,” said Staal, who has four goals and two assists in his last two games in San Jose. “We’ll see what gets talked about (Friday) and what the game plan is. But I’m fine with playing. We’ve got a couple more days anyway before playoffs start, so I’d like to be out there with the guys.”
Devan Dubnyk has alternated losses and wins in his last nine starts (4-3-2) with a 2.08 GAA and a shutout for Minnesota. Backup and former Shark Alex Stalock made 31 saves in the win over San Jose in December.
Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shahid Khan has made an offer to buy Wembley Stadium from the English Football Association, increasing the prospect of an NFL franchise in London.
Wembley has staged regular-season NFL games since 2007 and the Jaguars started playing at the stadium in 2013 鈥?the year Khan bought London soccer club Fulham.
Khan offered about 600 million pounds ($840 million) for the national soccer stadium, which would continue to host England national team games. The governing body would retain the rights to hospitality packages for games, which are valued at 300 million pounds.
Wembley www.chargersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-kyzir-white-jersey , which first opened in 1923, was rebuilt at a cost of 800 million pounds before reopening in 2007. The Jaguars have a deal through 2020 to play games in London.
"The games the Jaguars play at Wembley are essential to the financial stability of the Jaguars in Jacksonville, which is one of the smallest markets in the NFL," Khan said. "If my ownership interests were to include Wembley Stadium, it would protect the Jaguars' position in London at a time when other NFL teams are understandably becoming more interested in this great city. And the stronger the Jaguars are in London, the more stable and promising the Jaguars' future will be in Jacksonville."
Khan said a takeover of Wembley would "have no impact on Craven Cottage," which is his soccer team's current home in the Fulham district of west London by the River Thames.
Selling off Wembley would give the FA about 500 million pounds to invest in grassroots soccer, which could increase the chances of the England team winning its first World Cup title since 1966.
"For the FA," Khan said, "it would mean Wembley Stadium returning to private ownership Authentic Courtland Sutton Jersey , permitting the FA to direct its full attention to its mandate to develop talent and serve the game with the vast resources it would realize from the sale."
An FA delegation, including England coach Gareth Southgate, attended the Super Bowl in Minneapolis in February.
"I've enjoyed a rewarding relationship with The Football Association for years and my more recent exchanges and time spent with (chief executive) Martin Glenn have served to further strengthen a connection with the FA that made it natural and ultimately possible for both parties to consider this transaction," Khan said.
"Should we be fortunate to close on the purchase, it's important to stress that the spirit and essence of Wembley would be unchanged. Wembley is a special place, beloved in London and known throughout the world."
NFL games will also be played later this year at the new north London stadium of Premier League club Tottenham, which is under construction.
In tandem with the Tottenham deal, Waller said the Jaguars owning Wembley "would allow for even greater flexibility in scheduling future NFL games in London."
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