Florida @ San Jose preview
SAP Center at San Jose
Last Meeting ( Dec 8, 2019 ) San Jose 1, Florida 5
The Florida Panthers hope to find their top form again far away from the Sunshine State as they begin a five-game Western road trip Monday afternoon against the injury-plagued San Jose Sharks. The Panthers went into the All-Star break riding a six-game winning streak, but have not been the same team since with just two wins in nine games (2-6-1) to reside in fourth place in the Atlantic Division.
Leading scorer Jonathan Huberdeau said Florida must play with more emotion after suffering a 4-1 setback against Edmonton at home on Saturday - the seventh time in nine games the Panthers have been held to two goals or fewer. “I think before the All-Star break we had fun,” Florida captain Aleksander Barkov told reporters. “We played for each other. We battled for each other. We worked hard. Right now, it feels like we’re not first on pucks. We don’t get their first. All those little things, we need to get better at.” San Jose lost leading scorer Erik Karlsson (thumb) for the season two games ago - adding to an injured list that includes captain Logan Couture and All-Star Tomas Hertl - while top goal scorer Evander Kane served the first of his three-game suspension, but the Sharks won 2-0 at Minnesota on Saturday for their fourth win in five games. “I think we just keep doing what we’re doing,” San Jose forward Dylan Gambrell told reporters. “Guys are really coming together in the locker room. Really supporting each other on the ice. Just working for each other.”
TIME: 4 p.m. ET. TV: FS Florida, NBCS California
ABOUT THE PANTHERS (30-22-6): Huberdeau (70 points) scored in each of the last two contests to push his total to 21 goals - two behind team leader Evgenii Dadonov, who halted a six-game point drought with an assist Saturday. Barkov is second on the team with 56 points after managing one goal and one assist in six games with month while defenseman Aaron Ekblad posted his third assist in four contests against Edmonton. Two-time Vezina Trophy winner Sergei Bobrovsky (20-17-5, .896 save percentage), who was the backup Saturday after missing Friday’s practice due to illness, beat San Jose 5-1 on Dec. 8.
ABOUT THE SHARKS (26-28-4): Former Norris Trophy winner Brent Burns is just one point behind Karlsson (40) for the team lead after recording two goals along with four assists during a five-game point streak. Forward Timo Meier, who boasts six points in his last four contests, is close behind with 38 and sits two goals in back of Kane (21) after scoring in Friday’s 3-2 victory over Winnipeg. Martin Jones (14-17-2, .894 SP) snapped a four-game losing streak with 39 stops for his first shutout of the season and his partner Aaron Dell (12-11-2, .911) has won three of his last four starts, including a 30-save effort Friday.
OVERTIME
1. San Jose F Patrick Marleau is tied with Mike Modano for 25th in NHL history with 561 goals, but has not scored in seven games.
2. Florida D Keith Yandle has two assists in the last three games and is one goal from reaching 100 for his career.
3. The Panthers are 0-for-14 on the power play in the last five games and the Sharks lead the league in penalty killing (85.6 percent).
PREDICTION: Panthers 4, Sharks 3