(My Sportsbook) - Having already clinched the Pacific Division title, the San Jose Sharks can regain the top seed in the Western Conference when they host the lowly
Colorado Avalanche tonight at HP Pavilion.
The Sharks have 104 points on the season and are just one point in back of idle Detroit for not only the top spot in the West, but also in the race for the Presidents' Trophy.
San Jose has won two straight and four of its last five contests. The Sharks were in action Saturday afternoon and recorded an easy home win over the Dallas Stars. Joe Pavelski tallied a goal and two assists, as the Sharks downed the struggling Stars, 5-2.
Joe Thornton, Devin Setoguchi, Milan Michalek, and Patrick Marleau also lit the lamp for the Sharks, who won their third consecutive game at home. Marleau and Setoguchi also added one assist apiece for the victors.
Evgeni Nabokov made 23 saves and improved to 4-0-0 since returning on March 14 from an upper-body injury.
The Sharks are 29-3-4 as the host this year and are completing a three-game homestand tonight. San Jose's next two games will be on the road against Chicago and Nashville.
The Avalanche, who are last in the West with 64 points, have lost three straight on the heels of back-to-back wins.
Colorado last played on Thursday against visiting Edmonton and was handed a humiliating loss. Sam Gagner scored his first career hat trick and registered an assist as the Oilers pounded the Avalanche, 8-1, at Pepsi Center.
Cody McLeod scored the lone goal for Colorado, which has also dropped 10 of 13 overall. Peter Budaj allowed eight goals on only 24 shots in the Avs' most lopsided loss of the season.
The Avalanche are just 13-22-2 as the guest this year and have lost two straight and seven of their last nine road games. Colorado's next two games will come on home ice, beginning with Wednesday's test against Anaheim.
San Jose has won both meetings against the Avs this season and this will be the first encounter between the clubs in Silicon Valley. The Sharks have won four of the last five overall matchups against Colorado.