Martinez Tribune The website of the Martinez Tribune.
BY HELEN LAME’
The Sharks bounced back after blowing a 3-0 lead to score a 4-3 overtime win against the Florida Panthers in their season opener in a physical game Thursday night at the SAP Center in San Jose.
Luca Cagnoni (R) celebrates his game winning overtime goal, the first of his career, leading San Jose to a 4-3 win over the Florida Panthers in the Sharks season opener Thursday night at the SAP Center.
Defenseman’s Luca Cagnoni’s first NHL goal, 3:14 seconds into overtime, secured the win and helped San Jose to avoid a disastrous collapse after taking a three goal lead mid way thru the second period. Will Smith and Macklin Celebrini assisted on the score.
Mason Marchment, in his first game with the Sharks, got the scoring underway with an unassisted goal at the 14:20 mark of the first period. Will Smith followed with a pair of second period goals, the first short handed, but Florida fought back with a pair of goals from Eetu Luostarinen to close the gap, his second at the five minute mark of the third period.
Florida’s Matthew Tkachuk (19), surrounded by Carter Verhaeghe (23) and Dmitry Kulikov (7), celebrates his goal, five minutes into the third period to tie the score during the Panthers 4-3 overtime loss to the San Jose Sharks.
Matthew Tkachuk followed with a goal 17 seconds later to tie the score, but Sharks goalie Yaroslav Askarov was able to settle down after allowing three goals in eight minutes of action to stifle the Panthers spirited rally. Florida’s captain Aleksander Barkov, who missed all of last season with a knee injury, had his knee buckle during a second period scrum and appeared to be substantial pain as he left the ice.
Yaroslav Askarov makes a glove save, one of 23 stops on the night, during the Sharks 4-3 overtime win against the Florida Panthers Thursday night.
The Sharks return to the ice with a 7pm game against the Los Angeles Kings Saturday night the SAP Center.
