Ekblad returns for Panthers against Sharks
Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad (undisclosed) will not play against Anaheim on Saturday. He will remain out of the lineup for a fifth consecutive game. Ekblad's next chance to return will be on Tuesday in a rematch with the Ducks.
The Panthers, who have won four of their last six, erased an early one-goal deficit with six unanswered goals to coast past the host San Jose Sharks.
Matthew Tkachuk scored once in a three-point outing while Aaron Ekblad collected one goal and one assist in his return to the lineup to pace the visiting Florida Panthers to a 7-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Saturday.
After missing each of the last seven games, top-pair defenseman Aaron Ekblad will return to the blue line for the Florida Panthers when they face-off against the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center on Saturday.
It never hurts to head into Las Vegas feeling good about yourself, something the Florida Panthers did after a pitstop in San Jose. The thing about Vegas is, no matter how good you feel coming off the plane,
Florida had scored at least six goals in nine of their first 33 games this season, but Saturday was the first such instance in the past 17 games.
Cody Ceci and Will Smith scored in the Sharks' 7-2 loss to Panthers, who got goals from seven players in handing San Jose its sixth straight loss Saturday.
Closing out the scoring explosion in the second period, Sam Reinhart took a tap pass from Tkachuk, who went flying through the slot to make it happen, and fired a shot into the back of the cage to put the Panthers up 7-2 at 16:25. In the third period, the Panthers shut the door.
The Florida Panthers sure bounced back from their blown lead in Los Angeles in a big way on Saturday. Skating against the struggling San Jose Sharks, Florida was dominant for much of the night, eventually earning an impressive 7-2 victory.
Cody Ceci and Will Smith scored for the Sharks (14-32-6), who have lost six straight and nine of ten. Alexandar Georgiev allowed four goals on 15 shots before being pulled early in the second period for Yaroslav Askarov, who stopped 14 of 17 shots in relief.
The Rising Phoenix Dragon and Line Dance Association performed during the first and second intermissions of Saturday night’s game between the San Jose Sharks and Florida Panthers at SAP Center, part of the home team’s celebration of the Lunar New Year.