The San Jose Sharks outlasted the Florida Panthers 4-3 in overtime at SAP Center on Thursday night. The Panthers continued their four-game road trip. It was the season opener for the Sharks. Panthers goalie Akira Schmid made his team debut tonight.
San Jose(1-0-0) broke out to a 1-0 lead with 5:40 remaining in the first period. Former Panthers player Mason Marchment placed in a wrist shot from the right point past Schmid for his first goal of the 2026-27 campaign.
In the second period, the Sharks expanded their lead to 2-0 at the 5:52 mark. Macklin Celebrini connected a diagonal pass from the left point during a 2-on-1 breakaway. Will Smith released a snap shot from inner right circle for a shorthanded goal and his first tally this year.
It became 3-0 for San Jose on the power play with 9:23 remaining in the second. Celebrini put in a wraparound shot for his first goal of the season.
Florida(1-0-1) got on the scoreboard on a power-play goal with 2:50 left in the second period. Carter Verhaeghe angled a pass from the left wing and Aaron Ekblad fired a slap shot from the top of the zone which was saved by Yuroslav Askarov. Eetu Luostarinen swept in a rebound shot with a backhand from the top of the crease for his first tally of the year.
The Panthers cut it to 3-2 at the 5:01 mark of the third period. Dmitry Kulikov sent a shot from the blue line and Luostarinen redirected in the puck from the high slot area for his second goal of the contest. Anton Lundell was credited was the secondary assist on the play.
The Cats pulled even 3-3 just 17 seconds later. Sam Bennett stole the puck from the left corner and centered a backhand pass. Matthew Tkachuk collected his first goal of the season on a forehand shot from the high slot.
The Sharks would get the 4-3 victory with 1:46 to go in overtime. Smith slid a pass across the slot from above the right circle and Luca Cagnoni snapped a shot from the inner left circle for his first career NHL goal. Celebrini chalked up his third assist and third point in the contest with the secondary assist on the sequence.
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