By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO
STATS Writer

San Jose (11-4-1) at Detroit (6-4-3), 7:30 p.m. EDT

Last season, the Detroit Red Wings and the San Jose Sharks were
considered heavy favorites to compete for the Western Conference
title. The Red Wings appear to think they'll need a "miracle"
just to win their ninth consecutive Central Division crown this
season, while the Sharks are again competing for conference
supremacy.

The Wings will try to continue to put a surprisingly slow start
behind them by winning a season-high third in a row Thursday
night when they host the Sharks.

The Red Wings (6-4-3) have been a top-four seed in the past 17
postseasons, winning four Stanley Cups and finishing as
runner-up twice, including last season.

Their dynasty may be showing some chinks in 2009-10. Detroit
dropped three of its first five games before getting at least a
point in seven of the last eight (4-1-3) - including Tuesday's
2-0 win over Boston and a 3-1 victory at Calgary last Saturday.

Despite those wins, senior vice president Jim Devellanno feels
this season will be anything but easy.

"We're going to have to fight just to make the playoffs and it's
going to be a grind," Devellanno said. "To get home-ice
advantage would be a miracle. A miracle."

General manager Ken Holland, meanwhile, sees a two-point
division deficit to Chicago as no reason for panic.

"Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk are two of the best players
in the world and they're in the prime of their careers," Holland
said. "Our top four defensemen rank among the best in the league
and Chris Osgood has shown what he can do in goal.

"Who's going to run away with our division? Chicago? We got off
to a bad start and the Blackhawks are only two points ahead of
us, and there's still a lot of hockey left to play."

Detroit has reached 100 points in an NHL-record nine straight
seasons, but the Sharks (11-4-1) have reached that plateau for
three consecutive years and in four of the last five.

The Sharks amassed a franchise-record 117 points to win their
first Presidents' Trophy last season, but were stunned in six
games by Anaheim in the first round of the playoffs, as a
highly-anticipated series with Detroit never materialized.

This season, San Jose is atop the Pacific and one point back of
West-leading Colorado.

The Sharks extended their winning streak to six with Wednesday's
3-2 shootout win at Columbus. They last won seven in a row
during a nine-game run Nov. 13-Dec. 4 last year.

"The whole night was a challenge," coach Todd McLellan said of
Wednesday's win. "It wasn't an overly pretty game to watch. They
did a great job of playing a straight forward, hard-game and we
tried to match it."

Patrick Marleau has been a major force in San Jose's outstanding
start, ranking among the league leaders with 11 goals and 22
points - possibly with extra motivation after McLellan stripped
the captaincy from him during the offseason.

The left wing has struggled in 21 career games at Detroit,
totaling one goal and six assists. The Red Wings have dominated
the series at Joe Louis Arena, going 28-4-0 with a tie all-time.

Chris Osgood will try to frustrate Marleau and the Sharks again.
The goaltender has stopped 49 of 50 shots to win the Wings' last
two games. The hot stretch comes after he gave up two goals on
four shots and was pulled 7:05 into the first period of a 5-4
win at Vancouver on Oct. 27.

The Red Wings and Sharks split four meetings last season with
the home team winning each time.

"No doubt, a top team like San Jose is a good measuring stick
for us," said Detroit defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom, who has one
goal and two assists this season.

The Sharks will be without defenseman Rob Blake, who was placed
on injured reserve Thursday with an undisclosed upper body
injury. Blake, the team's captain, has one goal and five
assists.