SUNRISE, Fla. — The Sharks bullied the back-to-back defending champs.
That’s the Sharks, outshot at Amerant Bank Arena last year, 54-29 in a 3-1 Dec. 7 loss, then waving the white flag on their season two days later at the Panthers’ practice facility, trading starting goalie Mackenzie Blackwood to the Colorado Avalanche.
It’s clearly a brand-new day for San Jose.
After morning skate at that same practice facility, they acquired gritty scoring winger Kiefer Sherwood from the Vancouver Canucks for a pair of second-round picks … then punched the Panthers in the nose, 4-1, highlighted by three goals in 5:02 in the second period from Will Smith, Vincent Desharnais, and Mario Ferraro.
Granted, this isn’t the same Florida squad from last year: The Panthers have been beset by injuries to their stars, and actually are out of the playoffs, at the moment.
But it still is impressive to see the Sharks initiate physically, which hasn’t been their M.O. for a long time.
It starts with 6-foot-7 Vincent Desharnais, in his first appearance since Nov. 26, giving superstar power forward Matthew Tkachuk, in his first game this season, a fond welcome back.
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