Sharks' Yaroslav Askarov: Loses to former team

Askarov stopped 32 of 38 shots in Thursday's 6-5 loss to the Predators.

Askarov, who was dealt from Nashville to San Jose this past offseason, fared no better against his former team in this game than Alexandar Georgiev did Tuesday in Music City. This was Askarov's third straight loss, and he's allowed 13 goals in that span. The 22-year-old is down to 3-5-2 with a 2.93 GAA and a .903 save percentage over 10 contests. It's a poor time for a slump, as Vitek Vanecek (face) could resume practicing soon, and it's possible his return will lead to Askarov's return to the AHL if he can't get his performance back on track. Neither Askarov nor Georgiev will be recommended in fantasy for Saturday's home game against the Panthers.