Coyotes-Sharks Preview

Regular Season Matchup
	W-L-OT	HOME	ROAD	DIV	CONF
PHO	13-10-1	7-5-0	6-5-1	4-3-0	10-6-1
SAN	16-5-4	7-0-2	9-5-2	3-1-2	9-3-4
· Complete Standings

Team Stat Comparison
57	Goals	83
59	Goals Against	59
19	Power Play Goals	25
19	Power Play Goals Allowed	14
1	Shorthanded Goals	3
1	Shorthanded Goals Allowed	1
328	Penalty Minutes	358
14	Average Penalty Minutes	14

Goalie Breakdown
	GOALIE	GP	W	TGA	GAA	SO	SV	SV%
	Ilya Bryzgalov	20	12	42	2.14	3	468	.918
	Jason LaBarbera	5	1	12	2.66	0	117	.907
	Evgeni Nabokov	22	14	48	2.19	2	597	.926
	Thomas Greiss	4	2	9	2.63	0	95	.913

Team Stat Leaders
G	Radim Vrbata 7	Dany Heatley 18
A	Shane Doan 10	Joe Thornton 25
PTS	Shane Doan 16	Joe Thornton 32
PIM	Paul Bissonnette 51	Jody Shelley 52
SOG	Radim Vrbata 85	Patrick Marleau 73

Patrick Marleau is off to a fast start for the San Jose Sharks. A matchup with the Phoenix Coyotes, though, could slow the veteran winger.

One of the leaders of a surging Sharks offense, Marleau looks to end his struggles against the Coyotes on Monday night.

San Jose (3-2-0) has scored 18 goals in its last four games, going 3-1-0 after losing its opener 5-2 at Columbus on Oct. 1. The Sharks scored four times in less than 9 minutes to turn their last game around, beating Minnesota 4-2 on Saturday night.

Marleau had his best game of the season, finishing with two goals and one assist. Marleau has five goals in five games after finding the back of the net a career-high 38 times last season.

Marleau, though, has one goal in his last 16 games against Phoenix (2-2-0). Still, San Jose managed to go 10-4-2 in those contests.

Dany Heatley, who has scored a goal in three straight games versus the Coyotes, has helped take some of the pressure off Marleau. Heatley, acquired in a trade with Ottawa on Sept. 12, is tied for the team lead with 10 points (five goals, five assists).

Marleau and Heatley have helped San Jose overcome a shaky start by goaltender Evgeni Nabokov, who has a 3.32 goals-against average.

Nabokov gave up 13 goals in four games before a strong effort against the Wild. His 38 saves were his most in a victory since stopping 40 in a 4-3 win at Colorado on Nov. 15, 2006.

"When guys help with rebounds, that is huge," Nabokov said. "Sometimes you have to get lucky. That's part of any game. I never worry about how many shots. To me sometimes, the more shots, the better."

Nabokov is 9-6-2 with two ties and a 2.27 GAA in 21 home games against Phoenix.

The Coyotes have been struggling offensively, totaling one goal in losing their last two games. They went 0 for 7 on the power play and failed to convert on two 5-on-3 chances in a 3-0 loss to Columbus on Saturday night.

"We had two of them and we didn't get one," said winger Shane Doan, who remains without a goal after scoring a career-high 31 last season. "That's unacceptable."

Radim Vrbata leads the Coyotes with three goals, but he's been held off the scoresheet in back-to-back games.

The Coyotes have been focusing on defense under coach Dave Tippett, hired when Wayne Gretzky quit nine days before the team's season opener. Phoenix has given up two goals or fewer in each of its last three contests.

Ilya Bryzgalov's strong play in net has played a large role in the Coyotes' success. He has a 1.34 GAA in three games after posting a career-worst 2.98 GAA last season.

Bryzgalov is 3-3-0 with a 1.68 GAA in eight road games versus the Sharks.

San Jose and Phoenix split last season's series 3-3-0.