Devils hope to keep Sharks in their ‘funk’

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One team is coming off its bye week, and the other is closing out a rough four-game road trip with its second game in as many days, when the New Jersey Devils host the San Jose Sharks Sunday afternoon at the Prudential Center.

The Devils (23-21-10) have not played since a 2-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres this past Monday. On the other hand, the Sharks (33-18-5) have played three games this week, losing each on the road, including a pair in overtime.

On Saturday, the Sharks were defeated 2-1 in overtime by the Philadelphia Flyers with Wayne Simmonds netting the OT winner. The Sharks also lost in overtime Tuesday in Buffalo to start this road trip, and dropped a 6-3 decision to the Bruins in Boston two nights later.

Somewhat ironically, the Sharks had won their three previous road games before this trip, and do have a respectable 15 road victories on the season.

“Maybe we are in a bit of a funk,” Sharks captain Joe Pavelski said to reporters after the loss in Philadelphia. “We’re not panicking by any means. We have better hockey in us. Lately, it just hasn’t been good enough.”

San Jose’s ageless wonder, Patrick Marleau, who scored his 500th career goal last week, netted his 20th goal of the season Saturday in Philadelphia. It is the 14th time in his 19-year NHL career that Marleau has reached the 20-goal plateau.

“He’s such a fantastic teammate,” center Joe Thornton recently said of Marleau. “For him to score 500 goals, and maintain such consistency in his career, is just unbelievable.”

Marleau, who will be playing in his 599th consecutive game Sunday, brings a nine-game point streak (8-5-13) into New Jersey. Thornton, who assisted on Marleau’s goal Saturday, enters play against the Devils five assists shy of 1,000 in his career.

San Jose likely will be without one of its top players in Logan Couture on Sunday. He sat out the game against the Flyers with an upper body injury.

Meanwhile, the Devils get one of their top four defensemen back in the lineup with the return of John Moore from a 17-game absence due to a concussion suffered on Dec. 31. However, the Devils will again play without veteran defenseman

Kyle Quincey, who will miss a second consecutive contest with an upper body injury.

The Devils played some of their best hockey in months right before the bye week, and hope to continue that trend coming out of the break. New Jersey posted a 7-3-1 mark in the 11 games preceding the bye week, and are 3-0-1 in their last four games.

“We’ve got a good test right away, day game against San Jose, so it’s important that we used our time wisely during the break and are ready to compete,” said Cory Schneider, who will start in goal for the Devils on Sunday.

Schneider allowed just two goals in his last two games before the bye week. He is one of several Devils elevating their play lately.

Adam Henrique has a five-game point streak and five goals in his last eight games; Kyle Palmieri has three goals and four points in his last four games; and rookie Pavel Zacha has four goals and three assists in his last nine matches.

“With Pavel, he’s competing better now,” Devils coach John Hynes said. “His skating is a factor. He has a lot more puck touches, so you notice him more. He’s a lot harder on the puck then earlier in the season. It’s maturity; but he’s also a lot harder to play against now.”

This is the second and final meeting between the Sharks and Devils this season. Back on Nov. 21, Martin Jones made 41 saves as the Sharks shut out the Devils, 4-0, in San Jose.