Game Preview/Lines #34: Donato Has Boyhood Picture with Marleau, Boughner Defends Gabriel

San Jose Sharks (13-16-4)

🚨NHL DEBUT ALERT🚨
Jeffery Viel will make his debut tonight for the #SJSharks!

Jones in net as the Sharks return home to take on the #mnwild.

Missed today's episode—> https://t.co/wmyWBR90aU pic.twitter.com/7MFpnBNJZl

— Locked on Shirtless Couture (@LockedOnSharks) March 29, 2021

Minnesota Wild (21-10-1)

Luke Johnson slots in. Top 2 lines the same; 3 an 4 mixed up. *PROJECTED*:

Kaprizov — Rask — Zuccarello
Johansson — Hartman — Fiala
Greenway — JEEk — Bonino
Sturm — Johnson — Bjugstad

D pairs the same

— 𝗝𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶 𝗣𝗶𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗲 (@jessi_pierce) March 29, 2021

Cam Talbot will make his fourth straight start tonight for the #mnwild vs. #SJSharks, the most starts he's made consecutively this season: https://t.co/nAKoIwVQrS

— Sarah McLellan (@sarah__mclellan) March 29, 2021

Where to Watch

Puck drop is 7:30 PM PT at SAP Center. Watch it on NBC Sports Bay Area, FOX Sports North, or NHL.tv.

Morning Skate

Bob Boughner didn’t think Kurtis Gabriel deserved an ejection or a five-minute major after this hit on Johan Larsson on Saturday.

Kurtis Gabriel puts an illegal hit on Johan Larsson that results in a 5 minute major. pic.twitter.com/18fLQYwiaH

— FOX Sports Arizona (@FOXSPORTSAZ) March 28, 2021

Two days later, Boughner re-affirmed his opinion. For what it’s worth, NHL Player Safety did not pursue further discipline on Gabriel.

“I think the league got it right. To me, it’s just a shoulder-to-shoulder hit, albeit maybe it’s a little late. It’s a two-minute penalty, I get that, no argument here,” Boughner said. “But again, to throw a guy out, give him a five-minute major for a shoulder-to-shoulder hit, I thought that was a little carried away. But not surprising.”

Good news, Larsson returned to practice this afternoon:

Johan Larsson is on the ice for practice today, which certainly is good to see considering he left Saturday’s game early after taking a high hit from Kurtis Gabriel. #Yotes

— Alex Kinkopf (@AEKinkopf) March 29, 2021

However, Gabriel will not be playing tonight. Instead, Jeffrey Viel will be making his NHL debut:

Want to learn more about Jeffrey Viel? Viel is making his NHL debut tonight.

Doug Wilson Jr. compared Viel to Barclay Goodrow here: https://t.co/IVJEx5EBgw

An NHL scout outside #SJSharks organization is a fan: https://t.co/eaq1wGjUsN

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) March 29, 2021

At the other end of the spectrum, 41-year-old Patrick Marleau will be playing in his 1,757^th regular season contest, passing Mark Messier for second on the All-Time Games Played list.

Scouts Talk Marleau’s Trade Value | SJHN+

This is the first season that 24-year-old Ryan Donato has played with Marleau. What’s the biggest thing that he’s noticed about the tireless veteran?

“The biggest thing I’ve learned is he’s happy to come to the rink every day. You can truly tell that he loves the game,” Donato said. “He brings a positive energy to the rink every day. He’s excited to work. I think that’s why he’s had such a long career.”

Marleau has played so long, he played against Ryan Donato’s dad, Ted Donato.

Ryan Donato revealed that he met Marleau long before they became teammates.

“I had a picture with him when I was a little kid. I think he was in Boston,” Donato said. “I met him pregame or postgame in the elevator. And my dad was [telling me], that’s Patrick Marleau. And I was just staring up at him. That’s basically my favorite memory of him.”

Wait, Donato has another picture of himself as a youngster with a San Jose Sharks legend?

Ryan Donato with his dad pic.twitter.com/j9YqoOtMWg

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) October 5, 2020

San Jose Hockey Now urged Donato to share his Marleau pic with the world.

“If I find it,” he laughed, “I will.”