Antti Niemi is one reason why the San Jose Sharks are red hot, and he has a chance to become the first goaltender in over two years to get three shutouts in a row.
Steve Mason is the last to do that, and he now has the Columbus Blue Jackets surging.
Niemi and Mason should be in net opposite each other when the Sharks and Blue Jackets conclude their season series at Nationwide Arena on Wednesday night.
Niemi has started nine straight games, going 7-0-1 with a 1.85 goals-against average while fellow netminder Antero Niittymaki struggles with a groin injury. Niemi was pulled once in that stretch, allowing three goals on 27 shots through 30:13 of play before the Sharks (29-19-6) rallied for a 5-3 win over Phoenix on Feb. 1.
He's followed that up by starting San Jose's seven-game road trip with three straight wins. He made 26 saves in a 2-0 win at Boston on Saturday before stopping 25 shots in a win by the same score against Washington on Tuesday.
Niemi's outstanding play has helped move the Sharks within one point of Pacific Division-leading Dallas. A victory over Columbus would give San Jose its first five-game winning streak since Jan. 16-23, 2010.
"Just getting the ice time and getting wins - I was struggling to get wins so it's great getting some wins," Niemi told the NHL's official website. "I think we are playing great right now."
Niemi, 2-1-0 with a 3.17 GAA in four games versus Columbus (26-22-5), could become the first goaltender to blank opponents for three straight games since Mason did it as a rookie Dec. 27-31, 2008.
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