After missing each of the last seven games, top-pair defenseman Aaron Ekblad will return to the blue line for the Florida Panthers when they face-off against the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center on Saturday.

Cody Ceci and Will Smith scored for the Sharks (14-32-6), who have lost six straight and nine of ten. Alexandar Georgiev allowed four goals on 15 shots before being pulled early in the second period for Yaroslav Askarov, who stopped 14 of 17 shots in relief.

Never a huge goal-scorer, Granlund is on pace to hit 20 for the third time in his 13-year career and the first since 2017-18 with Minnesota. But the 32-year-old has been a point producer with the Sharks. He’s leading the team with 44 points in 51 contests after a scoring a team-high 60 points in 69 games last season.

The Florida Panthers are back from their latest extended road trip. It will be a welcomed change, with Florida’s players receiving an opportunity to sleep in their own beds and drive their cars, or golf carts,

Call it a mixed bag for the Florida Panthers on their West Coast trip. The Panthers went 2-2-0 in their four games out west, beating the Anaheim Ducks 5-2 on Tuesday, falling to the Los Angeles Kings 2-1 on Wednesday, winning against the San Jose Sharks 7-2 on Saturday and losing to the Vegas Golden Knights 4-1 on Sunday.

The Golden Knights’ past 10 games haven’t been their best. Luck hasn’t been on their side. The bounces haven’t gone their way. Yet they remained confident they could overcome their slide. A 4-1 win over the Florida Panthers at T-Mobile Arena on Sunday night might be a good first step in the right direction.

San Jose Sharks, after being flattened by the Florida Panthers, face Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday

After backing up Sergei Bobrovsky in San Jose, Spencer Knight will likely get the nod in net against Vegas. Owning a 9-7-1 record with a .907 save percentage, the 23-year-old has been in the zone as of late, going 4-2-0 with a .935 save percentage since Dec. 22.

San Jose Sharks, after being flattened by the Florida Panthers, face Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday

The slumping Vegas Golden Knights begin their final homestand before the break for the 4 Nations Face-Off when they host the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers on Sunday in Las Vegas. Both teams enter the contest one point out of first place in their respective divisions.

It never hurts to head into Las Vegas feeling good about yourself, something the Florida Panthers did after a pitstop in San Jose. The thing about Vegas is, no matter how good you feel coming off the plane,