(SportsNetwork.com) – The Florida Panthers look to avoid posting their longest
losing streak of the season on Tuesday night as they welcome the San Jose
Sharks.
The Panthers are on their second three-game skid of the young season,
following up consecutive road defeats with a 6-4 loss to the visiting Calgary
Flames on Saturday.
Florida had scored just seven goals total in its previous five games, but was
unable to pick up a victory over Calgary despite matching a season best for
goals in a game.
Scottie Upshall scored twice and had an assist, while Jimmy Hayes and Nick
Bjugstad tallied. Al Montoya, though, yielded five goals on 24 shots.
“I didn’t like the fact that we gave up too much tonight,” Panthers head coach
Gerard Gallant said. “I didn’t like the way we defended tonight compared to
most of the season. … It’s too bad we score four goals and can’t win a
game.”
Gallant got some solid production from his blue line, with 2014 first overall
pick Aaron Ekblad and Dmitry Kulikov each picking up two assists.
Kulikov, though, exited in the second period with a lower-body injury and is
not expected to play tonight when the Panthers host the second of a three-game
homestand.
Roberto Luongo is likely to start against the Sharks and is 11-12-4 lifetime
versus the club with a 2.68 goals against average and .917 save percentage.
The Panthers have won five of their last six versus the Sharks, who have split
the first two of their seven-game, 11-day road trip. They opened the swing
with a victory in Dallas before falling 5-2 to the Chicago Blackhawks on
Sunday.
The Sharks trailed 3-0 in the first period before Joe Pavelski scored the
first of his two goals in the game with under five minutes left in the frame.
“That first (period) wasn’t good on our part,” said Pavelski. “It’s not the
result we wanted.”
Joe Thornton assisted on both tallies and Antti Niemi yielded four goals on 36
shots.
Niemi is 1-2-0 with a 2.03 GAA and .913 save percentage in his career versus
the Panthers.
