Sharks’ Erik Karlsson to miss game vs. Anaheim Ducks

The Sharks will be without defenseman Erik Karlsson for their game with the Anaheim Ducks on Monday night at SAP Center.

Karlsson and Radim Simek were both injured Saturday in the Sharks’ 3-1 home loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. Karlsson missed the last 11-plus minutes of the third period with a lower body injury, and Simek (upper body) was hurt in the second period following two run-ins with Golden Knights forward Jonathan Marchessault.

Sharks coach Bob Boughner said Karlsson is considered day-to-day. Simek was placed on injured reserve over the weekend and will also miss the Sharks’ game Thursday with the St. Louis Blues. Boughner added there’s a small chance Simek could play Feb. 20 against the Blues, but if not, he would “hopefully” be back for the Feb. 25 game vs. the Golden Knights.

Simek was first hit by Marchessault against the end boards. Shortly after, with the puck in the corner to the left of goalie Martin Jones, Simek — still feeling the effects of the first hit — was cross-checked by Marchessault in the rib area. Simek was able to get to the Sharks’ bench but immediately went to the locker room.

Before that sequence, Simek had upended Golden Knights forward Reilly Smith with a check in the Sharks’ corner as the two were racing to retrieve the puck.

Karlsson had played in all 13 Sharks games this season, averaging 25 minutes and 36 seconds of ice time. Karlsson has no goals and four assists.

The Sharks will dress defensemen Fredrik Claesson and Nicolas Meloche in place of Karlsson and Simek. Those two will be paired together, as will Mario Ferraro and Brent Burns, and Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Nikolai Knyzhov.

Martin Jones will start in goal for the Sharks on Monday. Boughner said there’s a chance Devan Dubnyk can be the backup, but that he would know more after the team’s morning skate at SAP Center.

Boughner is making changes to his forward group, as Stefan Noesen and John Leonard will come into the lineup and Marcus Sorensen and Kurtis Gabriel will be scratched.

MADDEN’S STATUS: Boughner said Sharks assistant coach John Madden should be able to rejoin the team on a full-time basis “very shortly.” Madden, a Canadian citizen, has been waiting for a new green card and has therefore unable to be behind the bench so far this season, instead working primarily as an observer.