Sharks Bite Panthers

     The Florida Panthers continued their California road trip as they fell to the San Jose Sharks 5-2 at SAP Center on Thursday night. The Cats, who only lost once to the Sharks in the last seven seasons prior to this contest, are now winless in their last four games.
     San Jose capitalized on a giveaway by Dmitry Kulikov deep in his own defensive zone. Brent Burns ripped a wrist shot from the right point that went by Al Montoya six minutes into the first period.
     The Sharks extended their margin to two goals near the halfway mark of the frame. Another Kulikov pass in the middle of the Panthers zone was intercepted by San Jose. The puck moved to Joe Thornton on the right wing and he set up Joe Pavelski with a one-time slapshot from the high slot. Montoya made the save, however a big scramble ensued in the blue paint until Joonas Donskoi knocked it in from close range.
     Florida pulled to within one goal at lO:55 from a face-off in the left circle. Vincent Trocheck won the draw against Chris Tierney, skated the puck through the low slot, delayed and then released a wrist shot past Alex Stalock for his fifth goal this season.
     Early in the second period, Patrick Marleau gave San Jose another two-goal cushion on a backhand shot as he went around Alex Petrovic in the left circle. Joel Ward and Tomas Hertl were credited with assists on the play.
     Brandon Pirri would score on the power play opportunity that the Panthers had with 5:55 left in the second. Jussi Jokinen drew the puck back following a left circle face-off with Tommy Wingels, Campbell guided it from the left point to Pirri and he blasted a one-time slapshot from the top right circle for his second tally this year.
     San Jose regained a two-goal margin with l:OO remaining in the second period. They had a two-on-one into the Panthers zone. Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Nicolay Goldobin did a back-and-forth pass and Vlasic completed the play with his first goal of the year into the top shelf of the net.
     The Panthers put out an extra attacker with three minutes left in the third period with no success. The Sharks were able to get an open-net goal with l:O6 to go as Tierney hit the twine with a shot from the Panthers blue line.