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Panthers need OT to earn 6-5 win over Sharks

[February 16, 2017] SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Florida's ageless Jaromir Jagr was just as happy to have his familiar linemates back as he was about collecting career point No. 1,900 during the Panthers' wild 6-5 overtime win over the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday.

Jagr's milestone point, which came on a primary assist to put an exclamation point on his 45th birthday, occurred late in the third period to give the visitors a two-goal lead. However, when San Jose's Joe Pavelski scored twice late in regulation, the Panthers needed another hero.

Jonathan Huberdeau stepped up and scored 1:38 into overtime to enable the Panthers to win for the fifth time in six games. San Jose took a fifth loss in six outings.

"We had a good forecheck out there," Huberdeau said. "It's three-on-three, so we got a lot of opportunities, a lot of things open. I think we took advantage. Maybe they were tired."

Injured for most of the season, Huberdeau scored his third goal in only his fourth game to mark Jagr's big night with a victory instead of a near-disastrous finish.

"We got to finish it when we have a 5-3 lead with four minutes to go," Jagr said. "We got to learn how to shut it down. We're probably too young and too excited. We just have to be ... more responsible. It was a good win for us, but we have to learn from that."

Jagr had been held scoreless during his last five visits to San Jose, and it appeared he would extend that drought to six games until he fed Aleksander Barkov for the center's second goal of the night at 12:41 of the third period.

"I don't really worry about it," Jagr said of the milestone. "I'm glad (Huberdeau) and (Barkov) are back so we know we can play together again. It's a lot of fun. They're both great players and make my life on the ice a lot easier."

Florida's late two-goal lead looked safe until Pavelski went to work.

The San Jose captain scored at 16:39 to draw the hosts within one. His backhander went off the stick of Panthers defenseman Michael Matheson and past goalie Roberto Luongo.

Then, with goalie Martin Jones pulled for the extra attacker, Pavelski scored his 20th of the season from the slot with 37.4 seconds remaining. Luongo was forced to leave after the play due to what Florida coach Tom Rowe described as cramps. Luongo, who made 29 saves, was replaced by short-time Shark James Reimer, who stopped both shots he faced.

The late rally couldn't wipe away the fact the Sharks were far too careless with the puck all over the ice.

"They've got some pretty skilled little creative forwards over there," said Jones, who stopped just 16 of the 22 shots he faced. "Obviously, we want to be tighter, but sometimes you need a big save from your goalie. I just couldn't make the big one tonight."

Bjugstad scored his fourth goal of the season and second of the night 2:15 into the final period. He shot from the slot after San Jose rookie left winger Timo Meier turned the puck over.

Barkov, who also had a pair of goals in the game, scored his 13th in close by redirecting a feed from Jagr.

"We turned over way too many pucks at the blue line," said Pavelski, who had a pair of assists in addition to his two goals. "When we're firing on all cylinders, guys make that right play at the (blue) line the majority of the time."

San Jose scored the only goal of a second period in which it held a 14-3 edge in shots over Florida. The Panthers went the first 13:32 of the period without putting any rubber on goal.

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Sharks goalie Martin Jones (31) makes a save against the Florida Panthers during the third period at SAP Center at San Jose the Panthers win 6 to 5. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports

Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic capped a long cycle by the Joe Thornton line in Florida's end by scoring his fourth goal of the season at 6:27 on a short-draw slap shot that struck Barkov on its way in.

Pavelski had a chance to put the hosts ahead, but he failed to convert a penalty shot at 9:29 when he lost a handle on the puck after getting Luongo to bite on a move to the backhand.

The Panthers escaped a wild first period with a 3-2 lead. Florida scored on three consecutive shots in a span of only 2:21 early in the period.

Florida's Jussi Jokinen beat Jones easily with a one-timer from the right circle after he was left along on a two-on-one break. Sharks defenseman Brent Burns got caught up, lost his stick and went for Panthers winger Reilly Smith, who was already drawing defensive attention from San Jose's Paul Martin.

Jokinen's eighth goal of the season at 4:20 provided the visitors with a lead for only 31 seconds, however.

Burns struck back with a wrist shot after Panthers defenseman Keith Yandle coughed up a puck to Pavelski. Burns' 25th goal came at 4:51.

The Panthers, who managed only six shots on goal in the period, zipped to a 3-1 lead when Bjugstad scored on a breakaway at 5:35. Then, following a Vlasic turnover, Barkov scored at 7:12 with a one-time drive from the top of the right circle.

"They're a team that feeds off of turnovers ... that's on us whether it's the forwards or the defensemen," Sharks forward Logan Couture said. "We've got to be a lot tighter defensively."

San Jose pulled closer before intermission when, after killing the only penalty of the opening period, Joel Ward was last to tip a double-deflection goal past Luongo at 15:25. Burns' original drive from the right point first struck the stick of Thornton before Ward was credited with his seventh goal of the season.

NOTES: San Jose F Patrick Marleau was honored in pregame for recently scoring his 500th career goal. He also became only the 10th player in league history to play in 600 straight games Wednesday. His ironman streak started on April 9, 2009. ... The Panthers' five-game trip continues with stop No. 3 at Anaheim on Friday. ... San Jose next travels to Arizona on Saturday. ... LW Joonas Donskoi, out since Jan. 23 with an upper-body injury, will be sidelined until after the Sharks' bye week. He is hoping to return Feb. 5 at Vancouver. ... San Jose promoted LW Nikolay Goldobin, LW Timo Meier and D Tim Heed. Goldobin has not appeared in an NHL game since Nov. 22, 2015, as he was a healthy scratch along with Heed. ... C Greg McKegg and D Jakub Kindl did not dress for Florida.

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