Couture (hand) expected to be back in the lineup on Thursday. Couture confirmed that only an unexpected occurrence would keep him out of the Sharks’ next game, on Thursday against the Flyers. Couture missed the last 16 games with a right hand injury, and he still wraps it for practice. He hurt himself on December 19 in Los Angeles, played through it for nearly three weeks, and eventually had surgery on January 8. “I’m ready to go in three or four days, whatever it is. Feels good as its felt in three months,” he said. Couture has 14 goals, 21 assists (35 points) and a plus-13 rating in 43 games this season.