DETROIT – With their season-opening point streak on the line, the San Jose Sharks begin a five-game road trip when they visit the Detroit Red Wings on Monday.
San Jose is the only remaining team in the NHL without a regulation loss, as it opened the campaign with six straight victories and dropped a shootout decision at Dallas before trouncing Calgary on Saturday. Joe Pavelski registered two goals and two assists while Patrick Marleau and Logan Couture had one of each in the triumph.
Detroit is coming off a disappointing 5-2 loss at Phoenix on Saturday in which it allowed five unanswered goals over the final 21 minutes. The setback halted the Red Wings' four-game winning streak, which began after a home loss to the Coyotes on Oct. 10. The Sharks (8-2-1) have earned points in nine of the last 11 meetings between the teams.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, CSN California (San Jose), FSN (Detroit)
ABOUT THE SHARKS (7-0-1): Antti Niemi's victory on Saturday was his 100th for San Jose, making him just the second goaltender in club history to reach the century mark. Evgeni Nabokov, who plays for the New York Islanders, is the franchise leader with 293 wins. Marleau has yet to be kept off the scoresheet this season, as he has collected seven goals and four assists in eight contests.
ABOUT THE RED WINGS (6-3-0): Niklas Kronwall is listed as day-to-day and hopes to return to action this week after suffering a concussion in Thursday's victory at Colorado. The defenseman was injured when he was checked into the boards head-first by Cody McLeod but has not complained of any symptoms. "So far, I'm feeling very good, actually," Kronwall told the Detroit News. "I'm just looking forward to getting back on the ice again."
OVERTIME
1. The Sharks have a league-high five players with 10 or more points.
2. Red Wings C Pavel Datsyuk has collected four goals and five assists during his five-game point streak.
3. San Jose enters with an NHL-best plus-23 in goal differential.