Game Preview: Canadiens At Sharks

(AP) -- In danger of missing the playoffs for the first time in 11 seasons, the San Jose Sharks can help their cause by finding a way to win at home.

Though they haven't lost to the Montreal Canadiens there in more than 15 years, the Sharks must halt the Eastern Conference leaders' four-game winning streak in order to avoid matching a club record with a ninth consecutive home defeat Monday night.

San Jose's run of 10 straight postseason appearances is second only to Detroit's 23, but a 3-8-2 performance in February has left the Sharks (30-25-8) on the outside of playoff position in the West.

"Time's ticking away here," forward Tommy Wingels told the NHL's official website. "Every game we lose is two points down the drain."

San Jose has dropped three straight - all at home - and hasn't lost nine in a row there since its second NHL season in 1992-93. The Sharks have totaled five goals in those three losses and scored two or fewer in five of their previous six at home.

Perhaps more frustrating is that San Jose led after two periods in each of the last two. It managed seven shots while allowing three goals in the final 20 minutes of Saturday's 4-2 loss to Ottawa.

"When you get up on a team you have to pile it on," said Wingels, who scored his second goal in four games. "I don't know if it's the killer instinct we lack or if we don't know how to play with a lead. It's frustrating."

Teammate Antti Niemi was in net for both shutout victories over Montreal last season, but has a 3.49 goals-against average while starting every game during the 0-6-2 home skid. He hasn't been helped much by a penalty-kill unit that's allowed the last seven home opponents to go 6 for 20 on the power play.

"We have to figure out how to play better," coach Todd McLellan said. "Going in and having another pow-wow. It's getting old."

Though San Jose has won three straight overall and seven consecutive at home against Montreal since a 3-2 overtime loss there Nov. 23, 1999, its confidence on any ice appears fragile.

That likely won't bode well against these Canadiens (41-16-5), who own a 17-5 goal advantage during their four-game winning streak and have won 11 of 13 on the road.

"We've been spending more time in the offensive zone recently. That's been key for us," former Shark Manny Malhotra told the Canadiens' official website after he scored his first goal of the season in Saturday's 4-0 victory over Toronto.

"Hopefully we can keep it up."

Montreal has been able to play more aggressively on offense because of the strong play of goalie Carey Price, who made 30 saves while recording his sixth shutout Saturday.

Price has a 1.18 GAA and .956 save percentage during a 9-0-1 stretch. He also could extend his franchise-record, 10-game road win streak during which he's posted a 1.20 GAA. Price hasn't played at San Jose since December 2011, but is 0-2-1 with a 3.95 GAA there.

The defense in front of Price got a boast with Montreal acquiring Jeff Petry from Edmonton for draft picks.

The defenseman had been the subject of trade talk for several weeks. He said in an interview in Toronto last month that he's playing for a "contract moving forward" and wants to show he's a "guy that's going to bring intensity and bring my game day in and day out."

The only other time the Sharks shut out the same opponent in three consecutive games was against the Coyotes in 2007-08. Montreal hasn't been blanked in three straight by one team since Washington did it over the 2010-11 and '11-12 seasons.

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