Panthers Survive Sharks

     The Florida Panthers began a four-game West Coast road trip with a 3-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center on Tuesday night. The Cats have won two of their last three games as Roberto Luongo had 52 saves in the win and 28 saves in the third period.
     In the second period, San Jose(45-18-7) scored on a power play at 4:02. Marty Havlat carried the puck into the Panthers zone and passed it to Brent Burns on the right wing. His centering pass went off the right skate of Tom Gilbert and Havlat put in a shot from the slot area.
     Florida(26-35-8) bounced back with two goals in 17 seconds and took the lead 2-1. Brandon Pirri scored an unassisted goal at 11:23 as he dashed through the middle of the ice and snapped a shot from the high slot that hit Antti Niemi, went up in the air, rolled down Niemi's back and into the net for his ninth goal.
     The Panthers sticked with the same line and they were rewarded at 11:40. Pirri blasted a shot from the top right circle and Quinton Howden was to the left of the crease and swept in a backhand shot. It was his third goal in the last four games after he was called up from San Antonio in the AHL.
     The Sharks fell behind 3-1 with 14.8 seconds in the second. Nick Bjugstad was in the left corner and poked the puck to Joey Crabb. He sent a cross-ice pass to Scottie Upshall in the right circle for a one-time slapshot for his 14th goal this season.
     San Jose made it closer with 3:03 left in the third period. Joe Thornton won a faceoff in the left circle and Burns put a soft shot from the low left circle between the pads of Luongo and into the Panthers cage.