- Matchup: Florida Panthers vs. San Jose Sharks
- Date: Thursday, October 1, 2026
- Venue: SAP Center, San Jose, CA
- Broadcast: ESPN+
- Betting Odds: Panthers (-139) Sharks (+120)
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The Florida Panthers, who finished last season with a record of 40-38-4, are set to face off against the San Jose Sharks, who ended their previous campaign at 39-35-8. The Panthers are entering this game as the favorites at -139, while the Sharks are considered underdogs at +120. The total points over/under is set at 6.5.
The Panthers secured a narrow 1-0 victory against the Hurricanes in their last matchup, although they faced some challenges. They spent 17 minutes in the penalty box and had seven power play attempts, but failed to score on any of them. Overall, their offense was lackluster, converting only 1 out of 20 shots.
During 5-on-5 play, the Panthers allowed 222 goals while scoring 194 themselves. They faced 273 power play opportunities (2nd most in the league), yielding 52 goals during these situations. Over the last season, the Panthers managed to score 246 goals (ranked 19th in the league) while allowing 274 goals against. They attempted a total of 2,292 shots, achieving a shooting percentage of 10.7%. Florida ended the season with 84 points, equating to a points percentage of .512. They faced 2,197 shots, maintaining a save percentage of .875, and scored on 52 of their 265 power play opportunities, translating to a success rate of 19.62%.
In goal for the Panthers will be Jacob Markstrom, who has participated in 578 games throughout his career. With a record of 264 wins, 231 losses, and 64 ties, Markstrom has started in 560 of those matches. He has faced 16,218 shots, tallying 14,702 saves, and holds a 2.71 goals-against average. With 28,408 minutes logged on the ice, Markstrom boasts a .907 save percentage and has registered 292 quality starts throughout his career, translating to a quality start percentage of .521.
On the other end, the San Jose Sharks recently played against the Jets, clinching a 6-1 victory. In that contest, they had two power play opportunities, converting one into a goal, and they managed to score 6 times out of 33 shots.
Last season, the Sharks produced 249 goals and earned 86 points, achieving a points percentage of .524. They allowed a total of 290 goals, consisting of 232 at even strength and 58 goals while shorthanded. The Sharks scored 195 goals at even strength and 54 on power plays (ranked 12th in the league), out of 255 attempts, giving them a power play percentage of 21.18%. They attempted 2,111 shots (26th in the league) with an 11.80% shooting percentage while allowing 2,431 shots from opponents. Their penalty kill rated 76.42% against 246 power play opportunities, with a save percentage of 88.1%.
San Jose is likely to start Yaroslav Askarov in goal. He has made 1,568 saves out of 1,768 shots faced, compiling an .887 save percentage. Askarov has a career record of 26 wins, 27 losses, and 6 ties, and has been the starting goalie in 61 of the 63 games he has played, accumulating 956 minutes in net. His quality start percentage stands at 45.9% with 28 quality starts throughout his NHL career, while opponents average 3.28 goals per game against him, totaling 200 goals allowed.
Who do you think will triumph in tonight’s NHL showdown against the spread or moneyline?
Prediction: Bet on Florida (-139)
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