SAN JOSE –Erik Karlsson’s comeback from a groin injury hit another apparent speed bump Tuesday when the Sharks revealed their defenseman’s skating schedule has been scaled back.

Although the team remains hopeful the two-time Norris Trophy-winner will be able to play before the regular season ends and be ready for the playoffs, it wasn’t the type of news to soothe a season-long six-game losing skid.

Karlsson, who has missed the last 12 games with a groin injury, did not skate Tuesday morning and is now on the ice about every other day instead of every day, according to coach Pete DeBoer.

“He’s been kind of going and then we’re taking him off for a day, and then going,” DeBoer said. “It’s a rehab schedule that he’s on.”

DeBoer said he is optimistic Karlsson can play before the regular season ends April 6 and be ready for the start of the playoffs, likely around April 10. Whether he will be fully healthy by that time is likely another matter, although Karlsson told reporters March 8 that he would be available for the postseason. The Sharks now have six regular season games left.

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“One-hundred percent,” Karlsson said. “It’s just whether I can get a few games in before, which would be nice. If that’s not the case, then that’s not the case.”

The Sharks lost 3-2 to Detroit on Monday to extend their season-high losing streak to six games. They entered Tuesday six points back of Calgary for first place in the Pacific Division, and five points ahead of third place Vegas.

The Sharks host Chicago on Thursday, Vegas on Saturday and Calgary on Sunday to wrap up a four-game homestand. They play against Vancouver and Edmonton on the road April 2 and 4, respectively, and close the regular season at home against Colorado on April 6.

Karlsson first suffered an injury to his groin in mid-January and went on to miss the last three Sharks games before the NHL All-Star Break, and the first six games after the break.

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Karlsson was one of three Sharks players to participate in the All-Star Game at SAP Center on Jan. 26, as he joined captain Joe Pavelski and defenseman Brent Burns. But he said afterward that he would not have participated in the event had there been a threat of any setback.

Karlsson returned to the Sharks’ lineup Feb. 16 against Vancouver and played in four straight games before he sat out San Jose’s Feb. 24 game in Detroit.

Karlsson played the Sharks’ next game in Boston on Feb. 26, but suffered another groin injury in what became a 4-1 loss to the Bruins. He hasn’t played since.

The Sharks are 6-5-1 without Karlsson in this stretch, and 0-5-1 since Radim Simek suffered damage to his anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in a game against the Winnipeg Jets on March 12. Simek, a first-year NHL defenseman, is likely out for the season.

▪ Pavelski said he’s getting closer to a return and left open the possibility he could play Thursday, although the Sharks are taking a cautious approach with their leading goal-scorer.

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Pavelski, out the last four games with a lower body injury, did on-ice drills for about a half-hour Tuesday morning with assistant coaches Rob Zettler and Johan Hedberg, working close to the net on goalie Aaron Dell.

“Last few days felt better. It was good to get on the ice and work a little bit,” said Pavelski, who has 37 goals. “Just try and get back, whenever that’s going to happen. But definitely getting closer.”