Rangers at Sharks preview

[HockeyLady]

The Game

Joe Pavelski will center the top line in place of Joe Thornton when the San Jose Sharks face the New York Rangers at SAP Center on Thursday.

Thornton, who injured his right knee against the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday, is expected to miss at least two weeks.

Pavelski will move from right wing, and Mikkel Boedker will move from the third to the first line at right wing. Forward Joonas Donskoi will return to the lineup after missing two games with the flu.

Backup goaltender Ondrej Pavelec will start for the Rangers, who have lost three straight, and have been outscored 13-6 to begin a four-game road trip. Pavelec will make his first start since Jan. 13 (7-2 loss to the New York Islanders). He replaced Henrik Lundqvist, who was pulled after allowing three goals on seven shots, in the first period of a 6-3 loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday.

 

Players to watch

Rangers forward Rick Nash has scored two goals in three of his past five games.

Sharks backup goaltender Aaron Dell has gone 4-0-1 with 12 goals allowed in his past five starts.

 

They said it

"You don't just fill in for somebody like that, but you can get it done as a line and you can work and compete. It doesn't change what we're trying to do, but you definitely lose just such a high-end caliber player." -- Sharks forward Joe Pavelski on playing without Joe Thornton

"Every point is huge. We need a win. That's all that matters right now. We lost three in a row." -- Rangers goaltender Ondrej Pavelec

 

Rangers projected lineup

Rick Nash -- Mika Zibanejad -- Pavel Buchnevich

Mats Zuccarello -- J.T. Miller -- Jimmy Vesey

Michael Grabner -- Peter Holland -- Jesper Fast

Paul Carey -- David Desharnais -- Vinni Lettieri

Nick Holden -- Ryan McDonagh

Brady Skjei -- Marc Staal

Brendan Smith -- Tony DeAngelo

Ondrej Pavelec

Henrik Lundqvist

Scratched: Steven Kampfer

Injured: Kevin Hayes (leg contusion), Chris Kreider (rib surgery), Kevin Shattenkirk (knee surgery)

 

Sharks projected lineup

Timo Meier -- Joe Pavelski -- Mikkel Boedker

Tomas Hertl -- Logan Couture -- Kevin Labanc

Joonas Donskoi -- Chris Tierney -- Melker Karlsson

Joel Ward -- Barclay Goodrow -- Marcus Sorensen

Joakim Ryan -- Brent Burns

Marc-Edouard Vlasic -- Justin Braun

Brenden Dillon -- Dylan DeMelo

Aaron Dell

Troy Grosenick

Scratched: Tim Heed, Jannik Hansen

Injured: Joe Thornton (knee), Martin Jones (lower body)

 

Status report

Hayes skated and will be a game-time decision. ... The Rangers claimed forward Cody McLeod off waivers from the Nashville Predators on Thursday and sent forward Daniel Catenacci to Hartford of the American Hockey League. ... Jones practiced again but will miss his fourth straight game. He's expected to return after the all-star break.

 

Stat pack

Burns has six assists during a five-game point streak. ... Desharnais is expected to play his 500th career NHL game.