The Docket 1/16: Sharks Look To Improve To 2-1 On Eastern Trip

Jan 14, 2014; Washington, DC, USA; San Jose Sharks goalie Antti Niemi (31) celebrates with teammates after the Sharks’ game against the Washington Capitals at Verizon Center. The Sharks won 2-1 in a shootout. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

The San Jose Sharks visit the Florida Panthers in Sunrise, Fla., Thursday evening looking to ensure no worse than a split of a four-game trip out East.

San Jose dropped the opener at Boston on Saturday before bouncing back for a shootout win at Washington on Tuesday. The trip concludes with a two-game Florida swing—the Panthers Thursday night and the Lightning on Saturday.

The Sharks are 3-4-5 all-time at Florida and have lost their last two visits there. San Jose’s last win against the Panthers at Sunrise was more than seven years ago, a 2-1 victory on Halloween night, Oct. 31, 2006.

Faceoff is set for 4:30 p.m. Pacific

The rest of The Docket for Thursday is all about the college hoops:

COLLEGE BASKETBALL: BYU Cougars at USF Dons, 6 p.m.
The Dons are just 6-8 all-time against the Cougars and haven’t beaten BYU at War Memorial Gymnasium since Dec. 23, 2002. BYU is 2-0 at USF since joining the West Coast Conference in 2011, including an 80-76 Cougars victory on Jan. 5, 2013. The Dons did gain a season split with a win in Provo on Feb. 9. The Dons are 4-2 in conference play, tied with Pepperdine for second place, while BYU is 3-2, tied with Saint Mary’s for fourth place.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL: San Diego Toreros at Santa Clara Broncos, 7 p.m.
The Broncos are 3-3 in conference play, while the Toreros are tied for last place with Pacific at 1-4. Santa Clara swept last year’s games, including a 61-52 win at the Leavey Center on Feb. 14. The Broncos are 39-32 all-time against San Diego, but were swept in 2011-12.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL: UC Riverside Highlanders at UC Davis Aggies, 7 p.m.
The Highlanders and Aggies are among three Big West Conference teams off to 0-2 starts in conference play (Hawaii is the other) and UC Davis will be looking to shake off their loss at Long Beach State on Saturday that featured a 30-0 run by the 49ers to open the second half. UC Riverside and UC Davis are tied 9-9 all-time, but the Aggies won both meetings a season ago, including a 79-72 victory at The Pavilion on Jan. 26.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Portland State Vikings at Sacramento State Hornets, 7:05 p.m.
Portland State and Sacramento State are off to 1-3 starts in Big Sky Conference play, with the Hornets getting their first conference win at Southern Utah on Saturday. The Hornets are 10-24 all-time against the Vikings and the teams split two meetings a year ago, with Sacramento State picking up a 77-71 win at The Nest on Feb. 9. The Hornets have won just two of the last 13 meetings between the teams.

Friday’s Lookahead

NBA
Kings at Memphis, 5 p.m.
Warriors at Oklahoma City, 6:30 p.m.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Cal at Arizona State, 10 a.m.
Stanford at Arizona, 6 p.m.