John Klingberg is back.<\/p>\n
Klingberg, a healthy scratch since Mar. 24, will come in for Shakir Mukhamadullin, even though the San Jose Sharks won their last game, 3-2 over the Chicago Blackhawks.<\/p>\n
Why Klingberg?<\/p>\n
\u201cHelps having a righty, right? So we get Mario off his off-side. That\u2019s one thing,\u201d Warsofsky said of the right-handed Klingberg versus the left-handed Mukhamadullin. \u201cHe can get the puck through on the offensive blueline. He can move the puck.\u201d<\/p>\n
So Klingberg will pair with Mario Ferraro.<\/p>\n
As for the 24-year-old Mukhamadullin, this continues an up-and-down campaign for the young defenseman.<\/p>\n
Warsofsky, as he sometimes does, chose not to expand on his line-up decisions, especially when they might be critical of a player.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of factors into switching the line-up after a win and who and what [the match-ups are]. I\u2019m not going to go through it all, but as coaches and as an organization, we talk about and discuss it, and that was the decision that we made,\u201d Warsofsky said. \u201cHe\u2019s done some good things, and he\u2019s improved in some areas. There\u2019s some areas we got to continue to work on, but I think he\u2019s playing better than he was, probably, coming off the injury earlier in the year.\u201d<\/p>\n
Reading between the lines, Warsofsky is saying that Mukhamadullin is playing at a higher level than he was early in the season, but it\u2019s still not high enough to be an everyday blueliner for the San Jose Sharks.<\/p>\n
San Jose Sharks (37-32-7)<\/p>\n
Alex Nedeljkovic will start. Presume that Yaroslav Askarov will get the start on Thursday at the Anaheim Ducks.<\/p>\n
It was notable that Nedeljkovic got the Monday start against the Hawks, is he moving ahead of Askarov on the depth chart?<\/p>\n
Warsofsky didn\u2019t answer that, but did speak to what Nedeljkovic has done to earn Monday\u2019s pivotal start and tonight\u2019s.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s won. That\u2019s a big thing. That\u2019s not a shot at anyone. But he\u2019s played some really good hockey here for us, as of late. He\u2019s competitive, he seems pretty locked in right now,\u201d Warsofsky said. \u201cI think he\u2019s tracking pucks really well, he\u2019s making the saves we need, the timely ones.\u201d<\/p>\n
No doubt, Nedeljkovic has outperformed Askarov since November.<\/p>\n
Since Dec. 1, Nedeljkovic is 13-8-2 with an .895 Save % and Askarov is 12-12-2 with an .870. Nedeljkovic is also a bit of the hot hand, too, since Mar. 26, the Sharks are 5-1-1, and Nedeljkovic is 3-0-1 with a .918 Save % and Askarov is 2-1-0 with an .881 Save %.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ll be very curious to see who gets Saturday\u2019s start!<\/p>\n
Along with Klingberg, Adam Gaudette also returns to the line-up:<\/p>\n
Graf-Celebrini-Smith
Eklund-Wennberg-Sherwood
Chernyshov-Misa-Toffoli
Goodrow-Ostapchuk-Gaudette<\/p>\n
Orlov-Desharnais
Ferraro-Klingberg
Dickinson-Leddy<\/p>\n
Nedeljkovic<\/p>\n
Klingberg will also be reinstated onto the power play:<\/p>\n
PP1: Orlov-Celebrini-Smith-Toffoli-Wennberg
PP2: Klingberg-Eklund-Chernyshov-Misa-Sherwood<\/p>\n
Edmonton Oilers (39-29-10)<\/p>\n
The Oilers played yesterday at the Utah Mammoth, running these lines in a 6-5 OT loss.<\/p>\n
Tristan Jarry starts in net & Colton Dach returns to the #Oilers<\/a> lineup vs. Utah.@PlayAlbertaCA<\/a> | #LetsGoOilers<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/emfjbD3bxx<\/a><\/p>\n