SAN JOSE – In the Sharks’ win over Pittsburgh at Consol Energy Center on Nov. 21, the number that leapt out from the post game summary was the ice time for the top defense pair of Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Justin Braun. In a 60-minute game Vlasic skated a season-high of 28:55, while Braun wasn’t too far behind at 28:02.
Headed into the rematch on Tuesday at SAP Center the Sharks will still likely be without Braun, who was ruled out on Monday by coach Pete DeBoer with an infected left elbow. It will help DeBoer that he has the last change at home, but the coach still expects his top four defensemen – including Brenden Dillon, in Braun’s place – to see plenty of the Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin lines.