GLENDALE, Arizona (Ticker) -- Having reached second place in
the Western Conference, the San Jose Sharks visit the Phoenix
Coyotes on Friday night.
With five games to play, the Sharks own a two-point advantage
over third-place Colorado and are five points behind first-place
Detroit.
The Sharks also are three points ahead of Dallas in the Pacific
Division and will meet the Stars on Sunday night.
The Sharks rebounded from a loss to Edmonton on Sunday with wins
over Detroit and Calgary. They did let a two-goal lead slip
away against the Flames on Thursday but pulled out a 3-2 win when
Vincent Damphousse scored with 24 seconds remaining.
Nils Ekman and Mike Ricci tallied a minute apart for the Sharks,
who are 6-1-1 in their last eight games.
Phoenix is well out of the playoff race and faces postseason
contenders in its next four games. After facing San Jose, the
Coyotes visit Edmonton, Vancouver and Calgary.
The Coyotes snapped a 15-game winless skid Monday in Minnesota.
But they fell to 0-6-3-2 in their last 11 home games with
Wednesday's 4-0 loss to Calgary.
San Jose leads the season series, 3-1-1.