The San Jose Sharks have the league's hottest defenseman but they've also have plenty of other contributors in their back-to-back wins.
The Sharks will try to keep rolling Tuesday night with a better performance against the Winnipeg Jets than in a home loss earlier this month.
Brent Burns scored his eighth goal in 10 games and added his eighth assist in that span in a 5-4 win over Calgary on Monday. Joel Ward provided a key score in the third period, one of San Jose's 12 in the past two contests.
Nine different players have found the net in those games, with Burns and Joonas Donskoi scoring in each. Logan Couture registered his first goal in 10 games this season Monday.
"I think it's shown the last couple days of what we're capable of, and we've got good depth," Ward told the team's official website after the Sharks were outshot 35-18. "It's just a matter of executing every night."
The Sharks (20-18-2) totaled two goals in back-to-back losses to open January, beginning with a 4-1 defeat to the Jets (19-20-3).
Burns had his team's lone goal on a power play. Drew Stafford got Winnipeg started with a short-handed score in the opening period and Mathieu Perreault found the net on a man advantage in the second.
Perreault also has goals in each of the last two games, but the Jets have lost both. He suffered an undisclosed injury late in a 4-2 defeat to Buffalo on Sunday, which denied Winnipeg a season-high fourth consecutive home win.
"Of course, it's frustrating. We're not happy about it. At the same time, you've got to keep moving forward," Stafford said. "Teams aren't waiting for us to get better. They're coming in and they need the points too. There are no easy games, so it's on us to work on this and hopefully break through."
Perreault is considered probable for the Jets' pursuit of their ninth win in 12 games on their own ice. Mark Scheifele could be sidelined an extended period because of a lower-body ailment.
"We'll get (Perreault) through the morning skate (Monday), but he feels good," coach Paul Maurice said.
The loss to the Sabres began a stretch in which Winnipeg will play nine of 10 on home ice. The visit north of the border is one of just three road games for the Sharks from Dec. 28-Jan. 26.
San Jose has split its past four visits to Winnipeg and lost 5-2 in the most recent one March 17. Blake Wheeler had two goals and an assist in that game, giving him three goals and six assists in his past five matchups.
Winnipeg captain Andrew Ladd has six goals and three assists in his last 10 regular-season games against San Jose.
Burns, meanwhile, has three goals and three assists in his last five versus Winnipeg.
"He's been huge all year. He's a great player," goaltender Martin Jones said. "He brings so much to the table."
San Jose forward Joe Pavelski has cooled off a little from a hot stretch with one goal and two assists in his last four games. He registered eight goals and five assists in his previous nine.
Pavelski has three goals and five assists in his past seven matchups with the Jets.
