With consecutive off days for the first time since downing the Kings in the first round, the Sharks had a rare full practice today. Or, most of them did, anyway. Matt Nieto was not among the skaters participating in San Jose’s practice. He did not skate after the first period in game six.
#SJSharks lines: 48-19-8, 12-39-27, 68-50-42, 9-16-57. No Nieto
— Paul Gackle (@GackleReport) May 11, 2016
The top two lines have been consistent over the past two games, but the bottom six gets shuffled around a bit. Melker Karlsson, Chris Tierney and Joel Ward make up the third line here with Dainius Zubrus, Nick Spaling and Tommy Wingels on the fourth.
Wingels didn’t play in game six, which the Sharks lost in overtime. In that game, Nieto posted the only positive even strength corsi differential on the squad (+6) — albeit in just four minutes of ice time. Nieto had one shift after his crash into the Nashville net but that was it.
Following the loss, head coach Peter DeBoer told Curtis Pashelka he wouldn’t have an update on the forward until Tuesday. With game seven just over 24 hours away, it doesn’t look like Nieto will play.
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