FLORIDA PANTHERS vs. SAN JOSE SHARKS
JANUARY 29, 2022
FLA Live Arena – Sunrise, Fla.
| FLORIDA PANTHERS | SAN JOSE SHARKS |
| 5 | 4 |
[OVERTIME]
PANTHERS POSTGAME QUOTES
Forward Jonathan Huberdeau
On the Comeback Cats:
“Our team doesn’t give up. We have belief in ourselves and that is why we are a good team. We know we can do it. Obviously, you don’t want to fall behind, but I feel we have been doing it so many times this year that we knew after the second period to not give up. We know we are going to score some goals and that is just our belief in the dressing room. It’s just nice to see that. Even if we are down we are just supporting each other and we are just having fun.”
On the atmosphere in FLA Live Arena:
“It was intense. I thought our crowd [has been] getting better and better. Tonight, it was a lot of people. The atmosphere was crazy and sometimes that’s what you need. I think in the third period, it got us some energy and that’s why we had a chance at coming back. It was good to see that and good to see the fans behind us and was really electric tonight.”
Forward Mason Marchment
On this Panthers team:
“Everyone on our team loves each other, we want to battle for each other. We just have a blast doing that so that just builds more chemistry and coming back in a game like that, where we for the most part controlled it. We just fell behind a little bit and the resilience and battling back means a lot to our team and for Bob. It is huge for the season.”
On three-game goal streak:
“I’m having a blast. Every night is just so much fun just going out there and playing with those guys and playing in front of those fans. I am riding the wave and having a blast doing it.”
Interim Head Coach Andrew Brunette
On the home win tonight:
“Obviously, the crowd was great. [They] kept us going there at different stretches. Even though, I felt we dictated a lot of the play today, we were having trouble scoring and I felt momentum build when the crowd got into it in the third period and it was a lot of fun to be a part of it. The group’s relentless. I think the feeling on the bench, we were having trouble scoring, but I felt we were close. We just needed one—one play. If we got a play, we would get another play. And we had a great play in overtime, so, fun game. I’m sure we’re a very entertaining team. I think our fans left happy.”
On Jonathan Huberdeau leading the league in points:
“He’s a pretty special player. At some point, maybe the rest of the league will figure out how good he is and he’ll get the attention he deserves. What I’ve really enjoyed—and this is going back from the three years with him—is [that] his competitive nature and his compete and his will is at an all-time high. His will to make those plays, to carry us on his back, has been tremendous all season. And to watch him grow into that kind of player, to be in the front row to watch that, is pretty special.”
CATS STATS
- The Panthers improved to 23-3-0 at FLA Live Arena, and have won their past nine straight games on home ice. The streak is Florida’s second longest home win streak in franchise history, behind their 11-game streak to start the 2021-22 season.
- Florida’s 23 wins matched DET (2011-12: 23-2-1), SJS (2008-09: 23-1-2) and BOS (1970-71: 23-3-0) for the most wins through a team’s first 26 home games to start a season.
- The Cats earned their third third-period multi-goal comeback win of the season (following Nov. 30 vs. WSH & Oct. 14 vs. PIT), tied for the most of any NHL.
- Sam Bennett’s overtime game-winner marked Florida’s sixth overtime goal of the season, matching TBL, DET and SJS for most among NHL teams.
- Over their past nine games at home the Panthers have outscored their opponents 54-20, scoring at least five goals in seven of the nine contests. Over their 26 total home games the Panthers own a +53 goal differential, outscoring their opponents 123-70.
- Sam Bennett scored his second career overtime goal. His goal marked his third straight game with a goal (4-0-4). He has tallied at least one goal in eight of his last 10 games.
- Jonathan Huberdeau logged three points (1-2-3), his third game this season registering at least three points, tied for the most of any NHL skater.
- Huberdeau leads all NHL skaters with 45 assists and 62 points (17-45-62).
- Mason Marchment scored a goal for the third consecutive game and added an assist (1-1-2). He has produced six points (4-2-6) over his past three games.
- Gustav Forsling registered his fifth multi-point game of the season (1-1-2) and led Florida with a plus-three rating.
- Aleksander Barkov scored his 20th goal of the season in his 32nd game, trailing only Pavel Bure (23 GP in 1999-00) for the fewest games needed to reach the mark in franchise history.
- Sam Reinhart notched two assists for his eighth multi-assist game of the season, tied with Aaron Ekblad for most on Florida. Reinhart also led Florida with eight shots on goal.
- Carter Verhaeghe produced two assists for his seventh multi-assist game of 2021-22.
- Joe Thornton skated in a game against the San Jose Sharks for the first time in over 18 years (Nov. 6, 2003 as a member of BOS). The 18-years and 84-day span between games against a single opponent is the longest span in NHL history, besting the previous mark set by Moe Roberts (18 years, 13 days vs. DET), per NHL PR.
- Florida logged 50 shots on goal, their fourth game this season with at least 50 shots on goal. The Panthers have logged at least 50 shots on goal in a game 18 times in club history.
LOOKING AHEAD
Next up for the Cats — The Panthers are OFF on Sunday, Jan. 30. They will face the Columbus Blue Jackets at 7:00 P.M. (ET) on Monday, Jan. 31 at Nationwide Arena.
