Sharks update: Couture skates, Blackwood starts and Sabourin sits
NHL: San Jose Sharks face the Ottawa Senators today at Canadian Tire Centre
San Jose Sharks captain Logan Couture continues to skate on a near daily basis but it remains unclear as to whether the veteran centerman will be able to rejoin the team’s lineup by early next week.
Couture skated Friday and this morning in Ottawa but will not play against the Senators at Canadian Tire Centre this afternoon as the Sharks look to win consecutive games for the first time in over a month. San Jose snapped a 12-game losing streak Thursday with a 3-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre.
Sharks coach David Quinn said last week he was hopeful Couture, out all season with a lower-body injury, would return to the active roster by the time the team’s road trip ended. The Sharks finish the trip with stops in Buffalo on Monday and Chicago on Tuesday.
“I have hope every day for him,” Quinn said of Couture before Saturday’s game. “He’s getting closer.”
The Sharks haven’t won consecutive games since early last month when they beat the New York Islanders on Dec. 5 and the Detroit Red Wings two days later.
BLACKWOOD STARTS: Two days after he earned his first road victory of the season, goalie Mackenzie Blackwood will start against the Senators. Blackwood made 33 saves for the Sharks in their win over the Canadiens and in four games this month, owns a 1-2-0 record with a .911 save percentage.
With Blackwood starting today, Quinn said Kaapo Kahkonen will start Monday in Buffalo.
“He’s just playing really well. There’s not much more to it,” Quinn said. “I talked with Kaapo (Friday). He’ll play against Buffalo. I already told him that. I just think (Blackwood) looks like he’s a little bit of a zone.”
Blackwood has played in six games against the Senators, going 3-1-2 with a 3.06 goals-against average and a .888 save percentage.
Joonas Korpisalo will start for the Senators.
NO CHANGES: Quinn said he’ll stay with the same lineup he had Thursday, meaning forward and Ottawa native Scott Sabourin will not get into the lineup. Sabourin was recalled by the Sharks from the Barracuda on Monday and had 11:12 in ice time the following night in the team’s 7-1 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Kevin Labanc replaced Sabourin in the lineup for Thursday’s game and helped form an effective fourth line with Mike Hoffman and Ryan Carpenter.
“It wasn’t easy. I thought long and hard to get (Sabourin) in and you don’t take those things lightly,” Quinn said. But it’s professional sports. There’s always a human element to what you do as a coach, but you’ve got to acknowledge it’s not about one player, ot’s about 23 players and anytime you put one guy in you take one guy out. You’ve got to be fair.”