Florida Panthers
Florida Panthers Look to Feast on the Sinking Sharks

After a tough 2-1 loss in Los Angeles, the Florida Panthers headed up the California coast and will face the San Jose Sharks tonight.
While the Kings have somewhat owned the Panthers in recent years – they are 7-0-1 in the past three seasons with five straight home wins — the Sharks have not fared nearly as well.
To put it mildly.
Florida has won 11 straight against San Jose.
The Sharks last beat the Panthers on December 1, 2017, when Aaron Dell defeated Roberto Luongo 2-1.
Since Florida beat the Sharks on December 7, the San Jose squad has been a miserable 4-16-1, the worst record in the NHL over that time span. The Panthers are a mid-pack 11-9-1 over the same period.
Mackenzie Blackwood was in net for the Sharks at the last meeting. It was his last game in a Sharks’ uniform.
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Two days later, he was traded to Colorado with former Panther Givani Smith and a draft pick in return for goalie Alexander Georgiev, Nikolai Kovalenko, and two draft picks.
Two weeks later, Blackwood got a five-year $26.25 million contract with the Avs; Georgiev, who will be a UFA at season’s end, has struggled with San Jose.
He has a 3.79 GAA and .884 save percentage for a team with the second-worst goals-against record in the NHL.
Last season, the Sharks were dead last in the NHL on defense.
Georgiev is sharing goalie duties with top rookie Yaroslav Askarov while veteran Vitek Vanecek recovers from a freak injury.
On December 17, Vanecek was backup to Georgiev when a puck struck him in the head while sitting on the bench. He suffered a fractured cheekbone.
Askarov played Thursday night in the back end of a cross-country home-and-home set with Nashville.
The Preds held off the Sharks 6-5 after San Jose overcame a three-goal deficit in a chippy game.
In Game 1 on Tuesday, the Sharks were humiliated in Nashville. San Jose had a 5-1 lead, yet lost 7-5. Georgiev was drilled for six goals on 40 shots.
San Jose has lost eight of its past nine.
The Sharks had a few bright spots this year such as beating the New Jersey Devils twice.
This brings us to the fact that in the NHL, no team can be taken lightly, especially a slumping one that would like nothing better than to knock off the Stanley Cup champions.
The Sharks do not yet have a 20-goal scorer. Their leading goal sniper is Tyler Toffoli with 17 and 30 points. Mikael Granlund has 14 goals and 43 points.
Sensational rookie Macklin Celebrini has 15 goals and 35 points.
Celebrini is the key component of the Sharks’ rebuild. Rookies Kovalenko and Will Smith and second-year man William Eklund show promise for the team’s future while they rebuild.
After Thursday’s three-goal comeback, only to lose on a third-period power-play goal by Nashville’s Fedor Svechkov, team leader and veteran Barclay Goodrow tried to take away some positives about the team’s youthful enthusiasm.
“Obviously, when you’re down three that quickly you have no other option than to buckle up your pants and try to right the ship,” Goodrow said.
“It showed a lot of grit, a lot of character, getting back in the game. Obviously, it would have been nice to get the two points.”
Paul Maurice’s troops know they have to be ready.
The Sharks will come out angry.
“They’re like all of these young teams that are coming off the curve. They’re drafting very high. They’ve got some wickedly skilled young players,’’ Maurice said after Friday’s practice in San Jose.
“They don’t need much time and space around them to make a play. Very high-end guys, so control of them in our game is the key piece. We have to be able to take some ice away from them.
“The age doesn’t matter. The hands are there already. They, like all young teams (lack) consistency. That also means some nights they’re really good. And you prepare for that going into the game. They’ll be at their best.”
This game is far from a guaranteed two points although it should be.
ON DECK: GAME No. 50
FLORIDA PANTHERS @ SAN JOSE SHARKS
- When: Saturday, 10 p.m.
- Where: SAP Center; San Jose, Calif.
- Local TV: Scripps Sports — WSFL 39 (Miami/FtL); WHDT 9 (WPB); LAFF 36.3 (SWFla)
- Streaming: Panthers+, ESPN+
- Radio: WPOW 96.5-FM2; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
- Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL App
- Last Season: Florida won 2-0
- This Season (Panthers Lead 1-0) — At Florida: Panthers 3, Sharks 1 (Dec. 7). At San Jose: Saturday.
- All-time Regular Season Series: Florida leads 24-13-1, 7 ties
- Up Next for the Panthers: Sunday at Vegas Golden Knights, 8 p.m.
