Panthers Look To Continue Strong Home Play Against Visiting Sharks
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SUNRISE (CBSMiami/SportsDirect) – It's been an up-and-down start to the season for the Florida Panthers but things may be beginning to turn for the better.
The Panthers have a chance to post back-to-back victories for the first time since winning their first two games of the season when they host the San Jose Sharks on Thursday night.
Florida, which won the Atlantic Division last season, has alternated wins and losses over the last five games.
The Panthers improved to 5-2-0 at home with a 3-1 victory over intrastate rival Tampa Bay on Monday.
One day later, Florida swung a trade with the New York Rangers, dealing disgruntled defenseman Steven Kampfer and a conditional 2018 seventh-round draft pick for hulking blue-liner Dylan Mcllrath, a first-round draft pick in 2010.
San Jose opened its six-game road trip in impressive fashion, blanking the Washington Capitals to halt a three-game skid.
The Sharks won both meetings with the Panthers last season, including a 2-1 shootout victory in Florida.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, CSN California (San Jose), FSN Florida (Florida)
ABOUT THE SHARKS (7-6-0): Attempting to bolster a sagging offense that had produced four goals in its previous three games, San Jose called up high-scoring prospect Kevin Labanc, who skated on the No. 2 line with Logan Couture and Joonas Donskoi in his NHL debut at Washington.
Brent Burns tallied his team-leading fifth goal and fellow defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic also tallied.
Joe Thornton's empty-net tally lifted him into a tie with Guy Lafleur for 26th all-time with 1,351 points.
ABOUT THE PANTHERS (6-6-1): Florida has been held to two goals or fewer in five of its last eight games, but should receive an offensive boost with the expected return of forward Jussi Jokinen to the lineup.
Jokinen, who has sat out the past nine games after aggravating a knee injury on Oct. 20, had 14 goals and a career-best 42 assists last season.
"He's going to practice with our team and get ready to play Thursday," Panthers coach Gerard Gallant said at Tuesday's practice.
OVERTIME
- F Jonathan Marchessault netted his team-best seventh goal Monday and is the only Panther with double-digit points (13).
- The Sharks have killed off all 21 power plays over the past eight games.
- Panthers backup G James Reimer will make his fifth start of the season Thursday.
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