Panthers rally past Sharks for ninth home win in row
Bennett scores in OT, last of three straight goals
By
Alain Poupart
NHL.com Independent Correspondent
Bennett one-timed Jonathan Huberdeau's pass from behind the net for the last of three straight Panthers goals.
"We have belief in ourselves," Huberdeau said. "We know we can do it. Obviously you don't want to fall behind. We knew we're going to score some goals. That's just our belief in the locker room."
Mason Marchment and Gustav Forsling each had a goal and an assist for Florida (31-9-5), which has won nine home games in a row and 23 of 26 this season to tie an NHL record. Sergei Bobrovsky made 30 saves.
Jonathan Dahlen scored twice for San Jose (22-19-3), which lost for the first time after leading entering the third period (15-0-1). James Reimer made 44 saves.
"This team has lost three games in this building all year," Sharks captain Logan Couture said. "The [defensemen] worked their [butts] off. Guys have come in from the AHL and helped the team immensely. We battled and it was nice to get a point."
The Panthers trailed by two twice in the third period.
Aleksander Barkov got Florida within 3-2 at 1:26 when he one-timed a pass from Huberdeau.
Dahlen made it 4-2 at 4:50 on the power play with a high wrist shot from the right circle.
After Carter Verhaeghe had a goal disallowed at 5:31 when the Sharks challenged for offside, Marchment made it 4-3 at 7:30.
His father, Bryan Marchment, played 334 games for the Sharks from 1998-2003.
"I did grow up there for a long time, and a lot of the guys that still work were the guys that were there when my dad was there," Marchment said. "Got to say 'Hi' to a couple of them yesterday, but to get the win against them was even better."
Huberdeau tied it 4-4 at 9:38 when he tapped in Verhaeghe's close-range pass. Huberdeau and Barkov were put on the same line in the second period.
"We're a much deeper team when they're on different lines," Florida coach Andrew Brunette said. "I was just looking for a spark. We were close but we were kind of far away at the same time. They made some huge plays in the third period. They're going to create all the time when they're together."
Hertl gave San Jose a 1-0 lead at 6:10 of the first period on a give-and-go with Rudolfs Balcers when he made a quick move from the side of the net.
Dahlen made it 2-0 with a power-goal at 17:17.
"Great screens there," Dahlen said of his goals. "We had a good breakout and got in the zone quick, and got them through. It was nice."
Forsling cut San Jose's lead to 2-1 at 19:06 when he one-timed Sam Reinhart's pass from behind the net.
Nieto made it 3-1 at 1:31 of the second period when he one-timed Nick Bonino's centering pass.
"That's a great hockey team and [Reimer] played a great game," Dahlen said. "This was the fastest game I've seen in my career."
NOTES: Panthers forward Joe Thornton was in the starting lineup and played 11:41 with two shots on goal in his first game against the Sharks after playing 15 seasons for them (2005-20). It was his 23rd game of the season, his second since Jan. 8. Thornton played 10 games against the Sharks while with the Boston Bruins from 1997-2005. His span of 18 years, 84 days between games against the Sharks is the longest in NHL history for a player against an opponent. ... Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro left in the first period after being hit in the face by a puck. Coach Bob Boughner said Ferraro was being evaluated by a dentist. ... Florida leads the NHL with three third-period multigoal comeback wins (against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Oct. 14 and Washington Capitals on Nov. 30). ... The Panthers are 23-3-0 at home to equal the 26-game home wins record held by the Sharks (23-1-2, 2008-09), Detroit Red Wings (23-2-1, 2011-12), and Boston Bruins BOS (23-2-1 tie, 1970-71). Florida is 36-5-0 in its past 41 home games. It does not play at home again until Feb. 22.
