(My Sportsbook) - The San Jose Sharks could have Evgeni Nabokov back in net tonight at HP Pavilion, as they attempt to defeat the Washington Capitals for an 11th straight time while also avoiding their first home loss to the club in over 15 years.

Nabokov has missed the last six games due to a lower-body injury suffered when he made the final save in a shootout win over St. Louis on November 6. However, he returned to practice on Thursday and is probable for this game. San Jose appears to be anticipating his return since they sent backup netminder Thomas Greiss to Worcester of the American Hockey League on Thursday.

The Capitals would be a good opponent for Nabokov to return against, as he is 8-0-0 with a 1.98 goals against average in eight career starts against them. He is 10-2-0 with a 2.71 GAA in 12 starts this season.

In fact, the Sharks have beaten the Capitals in each of the last 10 meetings and are 7-0 with a tie in the last eight meetings in San Jose. Washington hasn't posted a win over the Sharks since February 20, 1999 and hasn't won in San Jose since October 30, 1993.

Brian Boucher started all six games in Nabokov's absence and is 6-1-1 with a 1.87 GAA in eight total starts this year. He stopped 32 shots in Monday's 4-1 win over Nashville.

Devin Setoguchi and Patrick Marleau both registered a goal and an assist versus the Predators, with Jody Shelley and Tomas Plihal also scoring. The Sharks avenged last Tuesday's 4-3 overtime loss at home to the Preds, their lone blemish at HP Pavilion (10-0-1) this year. Setoguchi has four goals and four assists over his last four games.

The Capitals enter this clash after having an eight-game point streak end with a 5-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday. Washington's 6-0-2 stretch was its best since going 10-0 with a pair of ties from January 28- February 24, 2001.

Nicklas Backstrom and Brooks Laich scored for the Capitals, who suffered their first regulation loss since being blanked at Buffalo on November 1. Brent Johnson stopped 28 shots in the loss, while Backstrom ran his points streak to seven games (4 goals, 10 assists).

Alex Ovechkin, meanwhile, had an assist to stretch his points streak to six games. He has totaled six goals and nine helpers over that run, though he fell one game shy of breaking Dennis Maruk's franchise-best five-game multi-point streak set in 1980-81.

The Kings are one of three teams the reigning NHL scoring champ has never tallied against. The Sharks are another, as Ovechkin has zero points in two all-time meetings against them.

Defenseman Mike Green sat out Thursday's game due to a shoulder injury, while Alexander Semin missed his third straight game due to an upper-body injury. Semin was key for Washington during Ovechkin's early-season struggles and leads the Capitals with 13 goals and 27 points.

Sergei Fedorov has also missed the last seven tests because of a sprained ankle, and all three players are questionable for tonight.

Washington, which leads the Southeast Division with 25 points, is 1-1-1 on a five-game road trip that ends on Monday in Minnesota. Overall, it is 4-5-2 as the road team this year.