Sharks vs. Flames Preview: San Jose hosts the young guns

San Jose heads back to SAP Center to host the Calgary Flames on Tuesday for just the second time this season looking to get back to its winning ways after losing to Chicago on Sunday. Calgary beat Arizona 4-2 on Monday night.

The Sharks lost 3-2 in their only meeting with the Flames back in November and will look to avenge that loss in the same way you try to get back at the bus driver that made you late for work that one time. If you remember. You’ll probably forget, though.

Despite falling to Chicago, the Sharks enter tonight’s game tied for first place in the Pacific Division with a great record and in third in 5v5 fenwick-for percentage according to corsica.hockey. San Jose dressed one of its best lineups of the season (missing Tomas Hertl makes that impossible) and will hopefully continue that trend tonight.

With the Sharks’ roster frozen for the holiday period, expect another pair of forwards scratched for tonight’s game. That’s despite the Barracuda playing the Flames’ AHL affiliate, the Stockton Heat, at 1:15 p.m. at SAP Center. Given the speed of the Flames, I wouldn’t be shocked to see Matt Nieto draw into the lineup – but Pete DeBoer might opt to roll with the same lines we saw in Chicago.

Timo Meier, assuming he plays, will take part in his first regular season game at SAP Center as a member of the San Jose Sharks. Expect him to get a great ovation the first time he touches the ice — I wouldn’t be surprised to see DeBoer give his line the start. He seems to like making those kinds of touches when he can.

Martin Jones has played the last four games for the Sharks and Aaron Dell has still only played in five games for San Jose this season. With the Sharks set for a three-day break, I doubt we’ll see Dell in net tonight; but given Jones’ performance against Chicago it might be time to give the backup a shot between the pipes.

Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. on CSN-California. If you’re hitting the double header, godspeed. That’s a big gap in between games.