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Associated Press

Nothing has been able to stop the San Jose Sharks at home this season. The Columbus Blue Jackets have been continually frustrated there over the last eight seasons.

Looking for its ninth win in a row overall, league-leading San Jose also will try to extend its dominance at home over Columbus on Thursday night.

With a 5-2 victory on Oct. 14, the Sharks improved to 14-0-1 all-time at home against Columbus. San Jose also has won eight straight at the Shark Tank over the Blue Jackets since a 3-2 overtime defeat on Jan. 8, 2004.

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After a 5-2 win over visiting Toronto on Tuesday, San Jose (21-3-1) tied the 1943-44 Montreal Canadiens for the best 25-game start in NHL history.

"The record is something we're proud of and we are pleased with, but again it's about the full 60 minute effort," rookie head coach Todd McLellan told the Sharks' official Web site. "We had a pretty good effort for the most part tonight, but not consistent enough to be a team that can win at the end. So we've still got some work to do."

Regardless of McLellan's assessment, it appears the all-around effort is there. The Sharks haven't lost since dropping a 3-2 overtime decision to Nashville on Nov. 11, outscoring their opponents 40-17 while converting 35.7 percent (15-of-42) of their power-play opportunities.

"It's not like we're jumping for joy," said San Jose's Dan Boyle. "We're pretty focused here. It's just the start of the season, and there's bigger and better things to work on."

The Sharks are the only NHL team that has yet to lose at home in regulation in 2008-09, and has notched at least one point in 23 straight games (21-0-2) at HP Pavilion.

Joe Thornton had a goal and three assists in the first period against the Maple Leafs, and leads San Jose with 23 assists and 30 points. When he takes the ice on Thursday, Thornton will set the franchise's ironman mark by playing in his 248th straight game, moving ahead of Vincent Damphousse.

Columbus (11-10-3), which begins a three-game swing through California, will be looking for its season high-tying third consecutive win. After a 3-0 win over Washington on Saturday, the Blue Jackets scored twice in the third period in a 3-2 victory over Vancouver on Monday.

Andrew Murray and Kristian Huselius helped erase a one-goal deficit, and rookie Steve Mason made 17 of his 30 saves over the final 20 minutes.

"This was kind of payback for the games we've played so well and then something (bad) has happened in the end," Columbus coach Ken Hitchcock said.

Mason, who stopped 26 shots in the win over the Capitals, is 6-2-1 with a 2.08 goals-against average and is the reigning NHL rookie of the month for November. He has never faced the Sharks.

Nash, who leads Columbus with 12 goals and 23 points, has had multipoint games in five of his last seven contests. The top overall pick in 2002 has totaled five goals and five assists while helping the Blue Jackets to a 3-3-1 record.




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STANDINGS

WESTERN CONFERENCE
  TEAM GP W L OT GF GA PTS
1 p - CHI 48 36 7 5 155 102 77
2 y - ANA 48 30 12 6 140 118 66
3 y - VAN 48 26 15 7 127 121 59
4 x - STL 48 29 17 2 129 115 60
5 x - LAK 48 27 16 5 133 118 59
6 x - SJS 48 25 16 7 124 116 57
7 x - DET 48 24 16 8 124 115 56
8 x - MIN 48 26 19 3 122 127 55
9 CBJ 48 24 17 7 120 119 55
10 PHX 48 21 18 9 125 131 51
11 DAL 48 22 22 4 130 142 48
12 EDM 48 19 22 7 125 134 45
13 CGY 48 19 25 4 128 160 42
14 NSH 48 16 23 9 111 139 41
15 COL 48 16 25 7 116 152 39

STATS

2012-2013 REGULAR SEASON
SKATERS: GP G A +/- Pts
V. Prospal 48 12 18 3 30
M. Letestu 46 13 14 7 27
M. Gaborik 47 12 15 -3 27
F. Tyutin 48 4 18 9 22
B. Dubinsky 29 2 18 2 20
N. Foligno 45 6 13 6 19
J. Johnson 44 5 14 -5 19
A. Anisimov 35 11 7 -6 18
C. Atkinson 35 9 9 9 18
R. Umberger 48 8 10 3 18
 
GOALIES: W L OT Sv% GAA
S. Bobrovsky 21 11 6 .932 2.00
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