5 TAKEAWAYS: Vatrano's OT blast leads Panthers past Sharks

Frank Vatrano didn't see the shot, but he certainly heard the cheers from his teammates.
With one goal already in his back pocket, the feisty forward locked, loaded and blasted a rocket past James Reimer in overtime to lead the Panthers to 3-2 win over the Sharks at SAP Center on Tuesday.

"I'm just trying to close my eyes, shoot the puck and hope it goes in," Vatrano smiled.
Extending their point streak to seven games (6-0-1) and improving to 41-13-6, the Panthers sit in first place in the Atlantic Division and have built up a six-point cushion over the Lightning in second place.
"We always find a way to win hockey games," Vatrano said. "We just stick to the game plan."
Already on a 5-on-4 power play in the first period, the Sharks essentially gained a 5-on-3 advantage when Gustav Forsling took a shot off the inside of his left knee and couldn't get off the ice. With play continuing, Logan Couture then tipped in a shot past Spencer Knight to make it a 1-0 game at 8:19.
With the Sharks on the power play again soon after, Jonathan Huberdeau answered for the Panthers when he skated in on a 2-on-1 rush with Sam Bennett and, resisting the urge to pass, lifted a silky wrist shot over Reimer's glove and into the top corner of the cage to even things up and make it 1-1 at 11:21.
At 13:58, Nicolas Meloche wired a shot past Knight to put the Sharks on top 2-1.
On the penalty kill a lot during the second period, the Panthers successfully killed off three power plays for the Sharks, including an extended period of 5-on-3 in which Knight, who turned aside all 12 shots he faced in the middle frame, made several highlight-reel stops on shots from right around the blue paint.
Knight went on to finish with 24 saves on 26 shots, while Reimer gave up three goals on 34 shots.
Coming out flying in the third period, the Panthers pulled even with the Sharks when Vatrano teed up a pass from Noel Acciari, who made a great play to keep the puck in the offensive zone, and fired a heavy shot from the slot that clipped off the post and in with an audibly-pleasing ping to make it 2-2 at 3:29.
Later in the period, Mason Marchment appeared to give the Panthers the lead when he crashed the net and slipped the puck under Reimer's pads and across the goal line. However, the Sharks challenged the score, which was eventually overturned for goaltender interference upon further review by the officials.
After hitting a few more posts and coming oh-so-close to finding the go-ahead goal later in regulation, the Panthers eventually took the game to overtime where, following a faceoff win from Sam Reinhart in the offensive zone, Vatrano one-timed a pass from Forsling past Reimer at 1:11 to lock in the 3-2 victory.

Since the start of the 2020-21 season, Florida ranks first in the NHL with 18 overtime wins.
"When you're watching him, you can tell there's certain nights when he feels it," Panthers interim head coach Andrew Brunette said of Vatrano. "You could see the momentum, especially in the third period. I thought he was good all night. He had the puck a little bit more in the third and scored two huge goals."
Here are five takeaways from Tuesday's win in San Jose…

1. HUBY'S SHORTY

Did you know one of the NHL's leading point producers also plays on the penalty kill?
Staying just one point behind Connor McDavid for first place in the league's scoring race with his 84th point of the season, Huberdeau evened things up for the Panthers in the first period when he skated up the ice on a 2-on-1 rush before roofing a shot for a beautiful shorthanded tally to make it a 1-1 game.

Always a threat to score on the PK, Florida leads the NHL with nine shorthanded goals.
Making a dent on the scoresheet in 19 of his last 21 games, Huberdeau has produced 31 points (four goals, 27 assists) during that red-hot stretch. Of his 84 points this season, 65 have come in the form of assists, a number that not only leads the league, but is also already a single-season franchise record.
In two games against the Sharks this season, he tallied two goals and one assist.

2. FRANK FINDS A WAY

You could hear this ping all the way back in South Florida.
Showing off his powerful one-timer, Vatrano pulled the Panthers back even with the Sharks when he blasted a feed from Acciari off the post and into the cage to make it a 2-2 game in the third period.

Not done there, he then buried a similar shot in overtime when he connected on yet another booming one-timer from the high slot to help the Panthers pick up another critical point and lock in the 3-2 win.
Always rising to the occasion, Vatrano netted a team-high seven game-winner goals in 2020-21.
"It's always great to score goals," Vatrano said. "But at the end of the day, whether you're in the lineup or not, the team's winning. You've got to put the individual success aside and worry about the team."
Suiting up in 49 games this season, Vatrano has notched 19 points (10 goals, nine assists).

3. FORSLING FIGHTS THROUGH

Long before he set up Vatrano's game-winning goal, Forsling was writhing in pain.
Helped off the ice after blocking a shot on the penalty kill during the first period, the tough-as-nails defenseman later returned and went on to block two more shots over the final two periods tonight.
"A warrior," Vatrano said. "He plays big minutes for us, skates like the wind and plays great with the puck. For him to come back after taking a puck to the knee like that shows the will he has to win."
An integral part of the defense, Forsling has produced a career-high 24 points (two goals, 22 assists) in 51 games this campaign while primarily sharing the ice with Radko Gudas on the team's second pairing.
And although he's a little banged up, the Panthers expect him to be fine moving forward.
"He's such a vital piece to our group," Brunette said.

4. POSSESSION GAME

If it wasn't for penalties, this game likely wouldn't have been close.
Really taking it to the Sharks when both sides were even, the Panthers finished with massive advantages in both shot attempts (65-22) and scoring chances (33-16) at 5-on-5, according to NaturalStatTrick.com.
Particularly strong late in the game, Florida led 38-6 in shot attempts in all situations in the third period.
"I liked our 5-on-5 game the whole game," Brunette said. "I don't think we gave them anything or too much, and I thought we had the puck a lot. There are a few things offensively we can work on a little bit, but I really liked our game."
Usually coming out on top in the possession battle, Florida leads the NHL with a 56.17 CF% at 5-on-5.

5. LATE KNIGHT

Thrust into action, Knight was solid once again.
Expected to back up after starting on Sunday in Los Angeles, the 20-year-old ended up starting tonight's tilt after Sergei Bobrovsky had to sit out tonight's game because he wasn't feeling well enough to play.
Stepping up, he went on to spot 24 of 26 shots against the Sharks, including turning aside all 15 pucks that came his way after the first period. Especially sharp in high-pressure situations, he made 10 saves on the penalty kill, with the most prominent one being a sprawling stop when San Jose was on a 5-on-3.
"Everyone battled in the second," Knight said. "Killing penalties was huge."
Winning five of his last eight starts, the rookie is now 10-6-3 with a .905 save percentage.
"It's feels good," Knight said. "Obviously just find a way to win."

BONUS: JUMBO'S RETURN

Joe Thornton still gets a lot of love in the Shark Tank.
After spending 15 seasons in San Jose, the 42-year-old veteran received a very warm welcome in his return tonight, including receiving a video tribute followed by a standing ovation prior to puck drop.
Whether he's on your team or not, how can you not love Jumbo?