In their second game in as many nights in a city the Stars have called home, the Sharks wrap up their season series against the Minnesota Wild tonight.

Both teams enter the contest in a funk. Minnesota has lost five games in a row, while San Jose has lost four. The respective slumps, coupled with Chicago’s five-game winning streak, have ensured Chicago’s ascent to first place in the Western Conference.

There’s a surprising amount on the line tonight, with the Wild and Sharks needing to over come eight and seven-point deficits, respectively, in the season’s final 10 games. A regulation loss for either team may all but eliminate any chance at having home ice in the first three rounds of the playoffs.

Where to watch/listen in San Jose

TV: NBCSN

Radio: 98.5 KFOX

Lines

Chris Tierney  is a game-time decision after missing last night’s contest with the flu and Jannik Hansen remains out, San Jose head coach Peter DeBoer told reporters before the game. Assuming Tierney can’t go, look for the Sharks to use the same lineup as they did in Dallas last night.  UPDATE (5:17 PM PST): Tierney skated in warm-ups, and the Captain line is reunited to start the game after finishing together last night. DeMelo took Schlemko’s place alongside Brenden Dillon in line rushes, according to the Mercury News’ Curtis Pashelka.

UPDATE (5:25 PM PST): It looks like David Schlemko is in the lineup after all, as Marc-Edouard Vlasic is out tonight with the flu.

Vlasic out with the flu, per #SJSharks

— Curtis Pashelka (@CurtisPashelka) March 22, 2017

Flu must have come on last minute for Vlasic, because I saw him walking around the locker room pregame and he looked fine

— Kevin Kurz (@KKurzCSN) March 22, 2017

Probable Sharks Lineup

Patrick Marleau – Joe Thornton – Joe Pavelski

Mikkel Boedker – Logan Couture – Joel Ward

Joonas Donskoi – Tomas Hertl – Marcus Sorensen

Timo Meier – Chris Tierney – Micheal Haley

Paul Martin – Brent Burns

David Schlemko – Justin Braun

Brenden Dillon – Dylan DeMelo

Probable Wild Lineup (source: https://www.nhl.com/wild/news/wild-warmup-sharks-032117/c-287897666)

Zach Parise – Eric Staal – Charlie Coyle

Mikael Granlund – Mikko Koivu – Jason Zucker

Nino Niederreiter – Martin Hanzal – Jordan Schroeder

Chris Stewart – Erik Haula – Jason Pominville

Ryan Suter – Jared Spurgeon

Jonas Brodin – Gustav Olofsson

Marco Sandella – Matt Dumba

Devan Dubnyk

Pregame Reading

Sharks vs. Wild Preview: San Jose looks to score hockey goals http://www.fearthefin.com/2017/3/21/14973038/sharks-vs-wild-preview-san-jose-looks-to-score-hockey-goals

The Daily Chum: Not all losses are created equal http://www.fearthefin.com/2017/3/21/14993534/the-daily-chum-not-all-losses-are-created-equal

Hey shitheads, score some goals | Battle of California http://www.battleofcali.com/2017/3/21/15008270/hey-shitheads-score-some-goals

The dawn is coming… San Jose rolls into town tonight, and Minnesota is overdue for a win | Hockey Wilderness    http://www.hockeywilderness.com/2017/3/21/15001376/san-jose-rolls-into-town-tonight-and-minnesota-is-overdue-for-a-win-game-preview-how-to-watch-dubnyk

Special teams shares the blame for slumping Wild | Hockey Wilderness http://www.hockeywilderness.com/2017/3/21/14995324/minnesota-wild-special-teams-power-play-penalty-kill-slump-nhl-the-shins-new-album-is-weird-good