Sliding Sharks take on Blues

The San Jose Sharks will try to end their second-longest losing streak of the season on Tuesday night when they take on the St. Louis Blues for the second time in four days.

The Sharks have dropped three straight after opening the month with back-to- back wins for the first time since January. They then followed up a regulation loss in Calgary with Saturday's 4-3 overtime setback to the visiting Blues.

Patrik Berglund had the winner at 1:12 of overtime, while Vladimir Sobotka added a hat trick for the Blues. Jake Allen made 22 saves as St. Louis defeated San Jose for the fifth time in the past six meetings.

Logan Couture, Scott Gomez and Matt Irwin tallied for the Sharks, while Antti Niemi yielded three goals on 28 shots. He was pulled in the third period in favor of Alex Stalock, who appeared in his second career game and was stuck with the loss for giving up the game-winner.

After blowing a 3-1 lead versus the Blues, the Sharks suffered a last-second loss on Sunday in Colorado. San Jose had rallied from two goals down to tie the game, but saw the Avalanche put home the game-winning score with just two- tenths of a second left in overtime in a 3-2 decision.

"I heard the horn and I knew it was already by me," said Niemi, who made 39 saves. "I was hoping they would change it in Toronto (through replay), but I wasn't very optimistic."

Patrick Marleau scored the 400th goal of his career and Couture lit the lamp with 3:25 left in the third period for San Jose, which is on its longest losing streak since it followed up its 7-0 start with seven losses in a row.

The Blues, meanwhile, return home after going 2-3-0 on a five-game road trip. All of those games were against residents of the Pacific Division and they'll play another three in a row against members of that division.

St. Louis' win at San Jose was its second in a row, but the club ended its trip with a 4-2 defeat in Anaheim.

Ryan Reaves and Patrik Berglund netted a goal apiece for the Blues, while Jaroslav Halak gave up three goals on 21 shots.

"We ran out of gas," Berglund admitted. "We lost our energy. We made a soft play and they shoved it down our throats."

St. Louis is close to getting Alexander Steen (upper body) and Andy McDonald (left knee) back from injury, though rookie Vladimir Tarasenko remains out with a concussion.