The San Jose Sharks are getting healthy, sort of. For the first time all season, Logan Couture will take the ice for the Sharks, his first game back since last season. Couture has become more open about what was ailing him now that it appears he’s ready enough to play. According to Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now, the captain had osteitis pubis.
Couture shares that he suffered from Osteitis pubis, it’s a hip/groin injury, that’s what sidelined since training camp
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) January 20, 2024
A quick Google search told me that it’s when the joint between the left and right pubic bones becomes inflamed. It can cause pain in the groin and lower abdomen. It’s not a common injury, but it happens to athletes who use their hips a lot, such as hockey players. The Cleveland Clinic says the best course of action to treat this kind of ailment is rest, which is what Couture has been doing for the past four months. It doesn’t sound like something you can play through because if you do, you run the risk of aggravating the injury more or making it worse. It explains why Couture couldn’t just play at 80% and why he kept suffering setbacks after skating initially.
Nico Sturm will also return to the lineup tonight. The Sharks’ center had surgery in December to repair an issue in his right hand. He’s expected to center the third line tonight.
With Couture and Sturm returning, the Sharks have sent two new players to the injured reserve. Mikael Granlund was placed on IR and is considered week-to-week. He suffered an upper-body injury against the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday and left mid-game. Meanwhile, Ty Emberson is also on the injured reserve list. He was sent home in the middle of the most recent road trip to deal with the injury.
The Anaheim Ducks are also dealing with injuries. It was announced today that Alex Killorn will undergo arthroscopic left knee surgery next week and will be out of the lineup for the next four to six weeks. Rookie Leo Carlsson recently returned to the Ducks lineup after suffering a knee injury of his own. Radko Gudas may not play tonight. He’s day-to-day.
The Ducks are another basement dweller, though with a slightly better record than the Sharks. The Ducks are 2-7-1 in their last 10, while the Sharks are 1-8-1 in their last 10.
San Jose Sharks lines against the Ducks
According to Peng, the Couture will center a line with William Eklund and Alexander Barabanov. That leaves Tomas Hertl centering a line of Fabian Zetterlund and Filip Zadina.
#SJSharks lines today, Couture and Sturm look like they're playing tomorrow:
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) January 19, 2024
Eklund-Hertl-Zadina
Zetterlund-Couture-Barabanov
Kunin-Sturm-Hoffman
Duclair-Carpenter-Bailey
Vlasic-Ferraro
Thrun-Rutta
Okhotiuk-Burroughs
Here’s what we think the lines will look like based on what Peng said today and the practice lines yesterday.
Forwards
Fabian Zetterlund – Tomas Hertl – Filip Zadina
William Eklund – Logan Couture – Alexander Barabanov
Luke Kunin – Nico Sturm – Mike Hoffman
Anthony Duclair – Ryan Carpenter – Justin Bailey
Defensemen
Marc-Edouard Vlasic – Mario Ferraro
Henry Thrun – Jan Rutta
Nikita Okhotiuk – Kyle Burroughs
Goaltenders
Mackenzie Blackwood
Kaapo Kahkonen
Anaheim Ducks lines for Jan. 20, 2024
According to the site The Daily Faceoff, the Ducks lines will likely look something like this, though that 12th forward has yet to be decided.
Forwards
Isac Ludestrom – Leo Carlsson – Troy Terry
Frank Vatrano – Mason McTavish – Ryan Strome
Jakob Silfverberg – Adam Henrique – Brock McGinn
Ross Johnston – Sam Carrick
Defensemen
Cam Fowler – Ilya Lyubushkin
Jackson Lacombe – Radko Gudas
Urho Vaakanainen – Gustav Lindstrom
Goaltenders
John Gibson
Lukas Dostal
How to watch Anaheim Ducks at San Jose Sharks Jan. 20, 2024
Sharks fans will be able to watch the game on NBCSCA. It will also be available on ESPN+, though blackout restrictions may apply. You can listen to the audio on the Sharks app.
Ducks fans can catch the game on Bally Sports SoCal or on the Ducks Audio Stream.
The puck drops at 7 p.m. at SAP Center. I’m not sure how packed it will be, considering that the 49ers playoff game will still be going on at Levi’s Stadium to start things off. Rather rude of the NFL schedulemakers to pit the two sports against one another. It’s sure to lower attendance at the Sharks game and on Hawaiian shirt day too.
Even if you’re watching the 49ers-Packers game, be sure to come back here to join in the live chat during the Sharks game.
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