from Kevin Kurz of CSNBayArea,

While the Kings’ top players have been surging, the opposite can be said for the Sharks’ big guns, several of which have been missing in action lately as the team prepares for Game 7 on Wednesday night.

Forward Brent Burns is scoreless in the last three games, and has just one even-strength point in the series other than a Game 1 empty-net goal. Captain Joe Thornton has not found the scoresheet since Game 3, and after finishing second in the league in assists, has just one helper through three games with a -4 rating. His only even-strength point of the series was his goal to open Game 1.

Joe Pavelski, the league’s third-leading goal scorer, has two goals and six points in the series but has been unable to finish on some prime chances lately. He has just one combined shot on goal in the last two games. Patrick Marleau scored the overtime winner in Game 3, and after getting eight shots on goal in Game 4, he was as bad as anyone on the Sharks’ side in a team-wide lackluster Game 5 performance. Marleau was credited with a game-high four giveaways to go with five shots that missed the net in the 3-0 home loss.

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