The San Jose Sharks are intent on defending their Western Conference title, but to get the chance to do so theyll need to keep collecting points against the NHLs weaker teams.That means beating the Arizona Coyotes for the first time in 2016-17.The Sharks will try to close a lengthy homestand on a positive note Tuesday night, when they welcome the last-place Coyotes to the SAP Center for the first time this season.San Jose (12-9-1) dropped the first two meetings with the Coyotes, 3-2 in regulation on Nov. 1 and by the same score in overtime on Nov. 19. In northern California, however, the Sharks won four in a row from Arizona -- including two straight by shutout -- and picked up at least one point in 11 straight matchups (8-0-3).For them, in this building, they just want to pound shots on net, kind of create some chaos down there, so we have to be aware of that, Coyotes defenseman Alex Goligoski told the teams official website after Mondays practice.San Jose won three of four on its current homestand to improve to 7-3-0 at SAP Center. The defending West champs begin play Monday tied with the Los Angeles Kings for second place, one point behind the Pacific Division-leading Edmonton Oilers.The Sharks fell to 1-1-0 in the second games of back-to-back contests with Saturdays 3-2 loss to the Anaheim Ducks. San Jose coach Peter DeBoer wouldnt say that the quick turnaround was the reason for the defeat.I dont think its as much the back-to-back as the last seven, eight, nine days, he said. Theres no doubt it takes a toll. Logan Couture has been a sparkplug for the Sharks at home so far. His goal versus the Ducks was his fourth of the season on home ice -- all on the power play.Brent Burnss streak of three straight multi-point games ended in the loss, but hes also scored four times at home to tie Couture for the team high. Burns, named the leagues third star of the week on Monday, leads all NHL defensemen in scoring (eight goals, 12 assists), and posted six assists in his last six home games against Arizona.Joe Pavelski comes into this contest on a six-game points streak (two goals, four assists). Hes the Sharks top scorer at home with 10 points (three goals, seven assists), and is especially productive at home against the Coyotes with six goals -- four coming with the man advantage -- and eight assists over the last 11 matchups.Pavelski and Burns are also tied for the Sharks scoring lead with 20 points each.Martin Jones was in net Saturday, and is 2-1-0 with a 1.34 goals-against average, a .953 save percentage and a shutout during the homestand. While Jones has yet to beat Arizona this season, hes turned away 42 of 43 shots in two career home starts against them.Though theyre bringing up the rear in the conference, the Coyotes (8-10-2) are in search of their season-high third straight win after topping the Oilers 2-1 on Sunday to complete a home-and-home sweep. Radim Vrbata and Jamie McGinn scored for the Coyotes, who are 3-1-2 in the last six on the road after opening that portion of their schedule with five straight losses.I think weve definitely improved. The early road trip hurt us and we learned some lessons from that. The last little while here our games have looked better ... weve just got to keep building every day, Goligoski said.Vrbata and Max Domi spearhead Arizonas offense with 14 points apiece. But both players have proved to be more production on the road -- Vrbata with four goals and four assists and Domi with a goal and seven helpers.Vrbata scored four goals in a three-game streak at SAP Center, and five in his last six games in San Jose. Domi is still in search of his first career point on the road against the Sharks.Another player San Joses defense will want to look out for is Jordan Martinook, whos scored all five of his goals this season on the road.Mike Smith stopped 41 shots Sunday for his first win three tries on the road. He made a season-high 43 saves in the win over the Sharks on Nov. 19.As a member of the Coyotes, Smith is 3-4-1 with a 2.09 GAA, a .946 save percentage and two shutouts over his career in San Jose. David Montgomery Youth Jersey . - Connor McDavid scored 53 seconds into overtime as the Erie Otters came from behind to defeat the visiting Guelph Storm 4-3 on Saturday in Ontario Hockey League action. Roquan Smith Jersey . -- Vincent Lecavalier got everything but the desired result in his return to Tampa Bay. http://www.chicagobearfootballauthentic.com/authentic-david-montgomery-bears-jersey/ .Y. - Rob Manfred was promoted Monday to Major League Baseballs chief operating officer, which may make him a candidate to succeed Bud Selig as commissioner. Roquan Smith Womens Jersey . The move comes after the Canadiens were approached by the Buffalo Sabres for permission to speak to Dudley - a former Sabres player and head coach. "The Sabres called for permission and I appreciate that, Im flattered, Dudley told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun of ESPN. Riley Ridley Womens Jersey . General manager Jarmo Kekalainen told Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Dispatch on Friday that he wants to see Gaboriks contributions go beyond the scoresheet before considering a long-term deal for the soon-to-be unrestricted free agent.TSN Hockey Insiders Bob McKenzie, Pierre LeBrun and Darren Dreger gathered for the latest installment of Insider Trading and the topics discussed were Joe Sakics comments about the draft, the latest on Kris Letangs contract discussions with the Penguins, the spin-o-rama in shootouts, Kings goaltender Jonathan Bernier and the World Juniors going to Toronto and Montreal in 2015 and 2017. Why would Joe Sakic say that if the Colorado Avalanche keep the first overall pick in the NHL Draft, they are leaning towards passing on defenceman Seth Jones? Bob McKenzie: There are two schools of thought out there on Sakics comments. No. 1 is maybe its a sincere and honest declaration in that quite frankly, they dont have the Denver kid who grew up there who has a high profile name because hes Popeye Jones son. They dont have him ahead of any of the forwards that are available and therefore they want to start cushioning the blow and dont want it to be a big backlash if, all of a sudden, they surprise everybody on draft day by taking Nathan MacKinnon or Jonathan Drouin. The flip side is, theres some people out there who thinks its posturing; that Sakic is merely saying this because he believes the Florida Panthers or the Tampa Bay Lightning really want MacKinnon or Drouin. And if they think that those players are going to be gone to Denver with the number one pick, they might offer something. I dont believe that. I think the Panthers are going to sit there and say were content to sit in the number two slot and take whoevers there according to our rankings. Was there any progress in Wednesdays meeting between Kris Letangs agent Kent Hughes and Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Ray Shero? Pierre LeBrun: It was a preliminary discussion really setting the barometers of what is this conversation theyre having. Theyre going to meet again over the next week, and again and again until theres a resolution. One thing Shero said Wednesday afternoon was that he knows all the media are speculating that he has to trade Letang this summer if he doesnt get him signed. Not necessarily. They can wait until the trade deadline while they try and sign him. On the other hand, I can tell you that I believe the message that Hughes parlayed to Shero Wednesday at that meeting is not a dime less than $7 million for Letang, which might be a tough pill to swallow for the Penguins. If you ask me, I still believe that the best package for Shero, if you cant sign him, comes this summer and not waiting until the trade deadline, although Shero said he spoke to Nashville Predators general manager David Poile about the kind of packages he got for Ryan Sutter a year-and-a-half ago and that made him think. We shall see. Darren Dreger: I believe that Letang wants to stay with the Penguins. Why wouldnt you? You have an annual shot at winning the Stanley Cup. There are some who believee that as long as this deal has a six in front of it, 6.dddddddddddd5 million instead of seven-plus times eight years the maximum, that hell take that deal and hell stay. Is the NHL actually close to banning the spin-o-rama in the shootout? Dreger: They talked about it at length on Wednesday. The reasoning behind it is that its hard on the officials to truly determine the direction of the puck and if its moving forward and is there contact with the goaltender. It is going to require ongoing dialog over the course of the summer and there is some expectation that therell be pushback from the players. To quote Bill Daily, "this may not be the hill that the NHL is willing to die on." LeBrun: It drives me crazy. The shootout as it is is a bit of a joke. I mean, its a skill event and its not part of a real hockey game. If youre going to have a shootout, the players can do what they want as far as Im concerned. My own preference; cancel the whole thing and go to three-on-three overtime. And I know I have a bunch of general managers on my side on that one. McKenzie: They shouldnt throw the baby out with the bath water. Spin-o-rama moves are okay as long as the goaltender is not interfered with. I would put the onus on the referees; there are two refs and two linemen on the ice to be able to determine if a goaltender is being interfered with. As for whether or not the puck moves forward, I think they can figure that out. Which teams are serious about LA Kings goaltender Jonathan Bernier, and what are you hearing about Roberto Luongo? LeBrun: Five teams we believe are in the mix. Bob alluding to three of them on Tuesday; the Maple Leafs, Islanders and Flyers, but today we also learned that the Stars and Panthers are also in the mix. I spoke with Bernier today and he didnt know a whole lot about whats going on on the trade front but he said hes excited. General manager Dean Lombardi promised him at his exit meeting that he would do everything that he can to give him a shot to go and be a number one goalie elsewhere and thats what Bernier wants. Dreger: The sense is that the Vancouver Canucks are not going to buy out or waive Roberto Luongo. Theyre confident that theyll have a trade partner for Luongo at the draft. Why are the World Juniors going to Toronto and Montreal in back-to-back years? McKenzie: They obviously want to go to big markets, but whats most interesting is that theyre going to share it. In 2015, in will be Toronto at the Air Canada Centre that gets the medal games while the Bell Centre in Montreal will have the preliminary games. In 2017 it will flip around and Montreal will be home to the medal rounds. Obviously, the two biggest cities in Canada and two arenas that they can charge a lot of money and generate a lot of interest. ' ' '