Sharks 2 - 3 Panthers
Final
  for this game

Sharks hope to avoid another loss against the Panthers

Feb 13, 2011 - 3:56 PM (Sports Network) - The San Jose Sharks will try to avoid suffering consecutive defeats for the first time in a month in a matchup with the hosting Florida Panthers, losers of their last five games at BankAtlantic Center.

The Sharks had won a season-best five in a row and earned a point in 10 straight (9-0-1) prior to Friday's 2-1 setback to the Devils. Patrick Marleau scored the game's first goal 6:08 into the third period and Antti Niemi made 21 saves in the close loss.

"You never want to see [a winning streak] end, that's for sure," said Marleau. "We carried the play a lot of the game and we just didn't find the back of the net. Now we have to start a new one."

San Jose's recent run did help the club make up ground in a tight Pacific Division and it trails first-place Dallas by just two points.

The Sharks fell to 4-1-0 on a seven-game road trip and are hoping to avoid losing two straight for the first time since a six-game skid from Jan. 3-13.

San Jose is also trying to build a new streak against Florida. The Sharks had put together an eight-game unbeaten run over the Panthers prior to losing back-to-back contests in this series.

Marleau had a goal and an assist in last year's 3-2 overtime setback in San Jose and Florida snapped a four-game series home winless drought with its win there on Oct. 24, 2008.

Niemi had a 23-save shutout the only other time he faced the Panthers.

Florida is 0-1-4 in its last five at home overall and lost for the fifth time in six games on Thursday with a 3-2 overtime setback to Buffalo. The Panthers do have points in 10 of their last 14 games (5-4-5) and are seven points back of a playoff spot.

Marty Reasoner and Steve Bernier both scored and Tomas Vokoun made 24 saves, but Buffalo's Tyler Myers prevented a shootout when he scored with 4.5 seconds left in overtime.

"It's frustrating," Bernier said. "[Myers had] a perfect shot, inside post and it went in."

Dmitry Kulikov suffered an ankle injury in the loss and may sit out tonight, while Cory Stillman is questionable with an upper-body injury.

Vokoun is 15-8-1 with a 2.60 goals-against average in his career against the Sharks.






Related News