Pride Night at the Tank
A quick setup for tonight’s game. The New York Islanders pay the team’s one and only visit to SAP Center this season. The Islanders are trying to hunt down a wild card spot in the playoffs, but will have to do it without top scorer Mathew Barzal. Barzal is out with a lower body injury.
On the Sharks’ side of the ice, Martin Kaut is back in the lineup in place of Evgeny Svechnikov. Svechnikov left Thursday night’s game with a lower body injury and did not return.
Pride night
Tonight is Pride Night at the Tank.
Hockey is for everyone.
Join us in showing your support today for the LGBTQIA+ community by changing your profile picture with us #NewProfilePic pic.twitter.com/3DN9UHX5bZ
— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) March 18, 2023
While the Sharks are allowing players to make their own choice when it comes to wearing this jersey during warmups, the team itself has issued a statement regarding its stance on Pride Night.
A statement from the San Jose Sharks: pic.twitter.com/nnhkcBS07V
— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) March 18, 2023
It looks like goaltender James Reimer will not be participating by wearing a Pride Night jersey. He offered a statement to explain his stance.
A statement from Goaltender, James Reimer: pic.twitter.com/GwhWxhbmb4
— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) March 18, 2023
The Athletic’s Corey Masisak tweeted out Captain Logan Couture’s response.
Sharks captain Logan Couture spoke about James Reimer’s decision to not wear a Pride jersey tonight. Here are a few of Couture’s responses to questions about the decision … pic.twitter.com/2EonL1MzbR
— Corey Masisak (@cmasisak22) March 18, 2023
The Sharks will also be sharing LGBTQIA+ information throughout its social media channels tonight.
San Jose Sharks
STATS
Record: 19-36-14
Streak: L5
Goals Leader: Logan Couture (24 G, 34 A)
Assists Leader: Erik Karlsson (20 G, 65 A)
Power Play: 18.2%
Penalty Kill: 82.9%
Goals For/60: 2.87
Goals Against/60: 3.75
LINES
(Per NHL.com)
William Eklund – Logan Couture – Kevin Labanc
Andreas Johnsson – Tomas Hertl – Alexander Barabanov
Noah Gregor – Nico Sturm – Martin Kaut
Oskar Lindblom – Steven Lorentz – Fabian Zetterlund
Derrick Pouliot – Erik Karlsson
Marc-Edouard Vlasic – Nikolai Knyzhov
Mario Ferraro – Matt Benning
Kaapo Kahkonen
James Reimer
Expected Scratches: Jonah Gadjovich, Radim Simek
Injured Reserve: Luke Kunin (knee), Markus Nutivaara (lower body), Jacob MacDonald (undisclosed), Evgeny Svechnikov (lower body)
New York Islanders
STATS
Record: 35-27-8
Streak: W1
Goals Leader: Brock Nelson (30 G, 35 A)
Assists Leader: Mathew Barzal (14 G, 37 A)
Power Play: 16.4%
Penalty Kill: 81.9%
Goals For/60: 2.91
Goals Against/60: 2.71
LINES
(Per NHL.com)
Anders Lee — Bo Horvat — Simon Holmstrom
Zach Parise — Brock Nelson — Kyle Palmieri
Matt Martin — Casey Cizikas — Cal Clutterbuck
Pierre Engvall — Jean-Gabriel Pageau — Hudson Fasching
Adam Pelech — Scott Mayfield
Alexander Romanov — Ryan Pulock
Sebastian Aho — Noah Dobson
Ilya Sorokin
Semyon Varlamov
Expected Scratches: Ross Johnston, Parker Wotherspoon
Injured Reserve: Mathew Barzal (lower body), Oliver Wahlstrom (lower body), Otto Koivula (lower body), Josh Bailey (illness)
How to watch
Today’s game will be broadcast locally on NBCSCA. The radio call will be streamed through the Sharks Audio Network. Puck drop is 7:30 p.m. PT/10:30 p.m. ET at SAP Center in San Jose.
Islanders’ fans can watch on MSGSN.
Check back then to follow along with all of the play-by-play action in the comment section below!