According to CSN’s Brodie Brazil, Ian White will play tonight returning to the lineup after being driven into the boards by Kings center Jarret Stoll in the opening salvos of game one. Stoll, who was suspended a game for the hit by the NHL’s Disciplinary Committee, will also return to the lineup for the Kings:
Ian White is in tonight, coach not disclosing how rest of lineup will shake out. Justin Braun one of the last off the ice at skate.
Sharks Head Coach Todd McLellan also hinted that further lineup changes may be en route for his club, a likely response to the 4-0 shellacking San Jose suffered at the hands of Los Angeles during game two on Saturday night. Since Braun was the last off the ice at the morning skate, a historically strong indication that the player in question would not be playing that night, it’s likely that those lineup changes are being looked at in the forward department.
Jamal Mayers saw 8:24 of ice time during game two, and Ben Eager also saw a drop to 7:19. It’s likely that these are the two potential casualties McLellan is considering, especially when one considers that Mayers (who is seen as a defensive forward) only saw 0:24 of SH TOI on Saturday and Ben Eager took a costly slashing penalty in the first period that resulted in the first Kings goal of the game.
If either is scratched (and we’re going to assume it will be only one of them), expect either Andrew Desjardins or Benn Ferriero to get the call for the Sharks.