The Florida Panthers arrived at SAP Center for Panthers Vs Sharks with momentum, confidence and a perfect record intact after opening the season with a 1-0 overtime win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Gustav Forsling settled that game with 4.3 seconds left, and it is the kind of late edge that underlines why the Panthers already look hard to shake.
This is the start of a three-game Golden State trip for the Panthers, and it comes against a San Jose Sharks team that took a major step forward last season. After a miserable 2024-25 campaign, the Sharks improved by 34 points, a reminder that this is a young group that has moved on quickly from a difficult year.
Forsling sets the tone for Florida
Forsling's overtime goal was more than just a dramatic finish. It also told the wider story of Florida's opening night: organised, patient and still able to find a moment when it matters most.
That matters here because the Panthers are not being asked to reinvent themselves. They are being asked to keep doing the basics well, stay calm in tight games and make sure the late moments still belong to them.
What the Sharks can take from last season
The Sharks' 34-point improvement is the clearest sign that there is progress to discuss. They are a young team, and that shows in the way the conversation around them has shifted from pure struggle to whether they can keep climbing.
Even so, the source of the concern remains obvious. San Jose are still seeking an upgrade in net if they want to end their long playoff drought, and that remains a major question as they try to turn last season's jump into something more lasting.
Why this matchup matters now
For Florida, this is about starting the trip with authority and protecting the standards that come with being unbeaten. For San Jose, it is about measuring their new level against a team that has already shown how to finish a tight game.
The Panthers have already shown they can win a game that goes to overtime. The Sharks, meanwhile, are still looking for the kind of edge that turns improvement into real contention.
