Askarov stopped 23 of 26 shots in Thursday's 4-3 overtime win over the Panthers.
The Sharks looked good for two periods but got shaky in the third. Askarov kept them from falling behind, setting the stage for Luca Cagnoni's heroics in overtime. This could be a preview for the season as a whole -- the Sharks have assembled some young talent and complemented the kids with veterans in key spots, but it could take a while for the roster to mature to avoid blowing leads. Askarov should have a slight edge over Alex Nedeljkovic for starts as long as he plays well. The Sharks are set to host the Kings on Saturday.