(Sports Network) - The Sharks' decision to put Joe Thornton, Dany Heatley and Patrick Marleau on the same line together has paid off instantly for the club. With the Chicago debut of Marian Hossa set for Wednesday night, the Blackhawks might be one of only a few teams with a top line to match.

Chicago's biggest offseason pick up is expected to make his first appearance in a Blackhawks sweater tonight in a road test versus San Jose at HP Pavilion.

Hossa is set to skate in a regular season game for the first time since signing a 12-year, $62.8 million contract on July 1 with the Blackhawks this summer. Hossa, though, underwent shoulder surgery not long after inking the deal, delaying his debut.

"I'm happy," said Hossa, who had 40 goals and 31 assists in helping Detroit reach the Stanley Cup Finals last year. "It's been four months and I feel good on the ice. I'm ready to go."

Hossa is expected to be on Chicago's top line with Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. Hossa will skate on the right side, shifting Kane to the left, while Toews will center.

"Since he's been in practice I think he's helped our practices, but we're certainly excited about him playing and what he can bring," said head coach Joel Quenneville.

Hossa will jump right on to a Chicago club that has won seven straight games, moving them within four points of San Jose's 36 for the most in the NHL. The Blackhawks have also won the first three games of their current six-game road trip, made necessary by the circus taking over Chicago's United Center.

The 'Hawks were in Vancouver on Sunday and left town with a 1-0 victory. Making his first appearance since November 6, netminder Antti Niemi stopped all 30 shots he faced for his second career shutout. His first came back on October 3 of this season.

Bryan Bickell, playing in just his sixth game this season and 13th of his career, had the lone goal in the third period for his first tally since April 2007.

Chicago is on its longest winning streak since ripping off nine straight wins from December 7-28 of last season.

The Sharks have won both games since putting together their new top line. In Friday's win at Philadelphia, the trio saw Heatley record his second hat trick of the season and Thornton match a club record with four assists.

Skating together again on Saturday in Anaheim, Thornton and Heatley both had a goal and an assist, with Thornton netting the game-winner with 11:11 left in the third period.

"I don't know how I got the puck, but I saw [Heatley] kind of going into the middle and I saw their [defense] kind of back off, and [Heatley] just made a good play and just brought the [defense] to him," Thornton said. "It was just one of those where you shoot and hope it goes in."

Ryan Clowe also scored and Evgeni Nabokov made 28 saves in San Jose's fifth win in eight games.

Thornton, named the NHL's first star for the week on Monday, leads the NHL with 25 assists and is tied for second with 32 points. Heatley, meanwhile, is tied for the league lead in goals with 18.

San Jose, which is 7-0-2 at home this year, dropped a 3-2 overtime game to the Blackhawks in Chicago earlier this year, its third straight loss in the series after winning the previous 13 meetings.

The Blackhawks also won their last visit to San Jose, halting a nine-game slide there.