Jagr, Trocheck lead Panthers over Stars
DALLAS -- Jaromir Jagr and Vincent Trocheck each had a goal and an assist and James Reimer stopped 34 of 35 shots for the Florida Panthers, who snapped a four-game losing streak with a 3-1 win against the Dallas Stars on Saturday at American Airlines Center.
Jussi Jokinen also scored for Florida (16-14-8), who had lost 10 of their previous 13 games and had been 0-1-3 over its past four contests.
Jagr's first-period goal was the 756th of his storied career, third-most in NHL history.
Dallas (16-15-7) got its lone goal from Patrick Eaves, but the Stars saw their season-long three-game winning streak snapped.
Kari Lehtonen stopped all 18 shots he faced for Dallas in relief of Antti Niemi, who was pulled late in the first period after allowing three goals on 20 shots. Lehtonen left the ice with 2:58 remaining but Dallas was unable to score even with the additional attacker.
Reimer, who made 19 saves in the third period, made a huge glove save on Tyler Seguin with 1:10 remaining, denying Seguin's slap shot from the left point. Reimer did bobble the puck, but quickly smothered the puck to stop play.
Both teams return to action Wednesday at home, when Florida hosts Winnipeg and Dallas faces Montreal to end a three-game homestand.
Florida scored early and often to build a 3-0 advantage after one period. Trocheck scored his 11th goal of the season at 3:06 off his own rebound. Jagr sent the initial pass in and Antti Niemi denied Trocheck's initial attempt, but Trocheck stuck with the play and slipped in the rebound.
The Panthers doubled their lead when former Star Jussi Jokinen scored a power-play goal 4:28 before the first intermission. Florida was six seconds into a power play after Dallas captain Jamie Benn was called for high-sticking.
Off the faceoff after the Benn penalty, ex-Star Reilly Smith fed Jokinen with pass from the red line and Jokinen promptly beat Niemi far post with a well-placed wrist shot that landed in the upper left corner before popping out, leaving a capacity crowd wondering if Jokinen had actually scored.
Following a short review, the goal stood.
Florida took a 3-0 lead with 3:20 remaining in the opening period when Jagr sent a wrist shot through Niemi's five-hole from the top of the right circle. That goal ended the night for Niemi, who stopped 17 of 20 shots before being relieved by Lehtonen.
The Panthers were 54 seconds into a power play resulting from a delay of game penalty on Lauri Korpikoski with 3:14 remaining in the first.
Florida outshot Dallas 22-6 in the opening period, tying the Stars season high for shots allowed in a period. Dallas also allowed 22 shots in the first period of an 8-2 loss at Winnipeg on Oct. 27.
Dallas answered with 3:28 remaining in the second when scored his 13th goal of the season off a rebound. Reimer denied Jamie Benn's attempt at close range, but Eaves was at the far post to tap in the rebound to make it a 3-1 contest.
Florida led 3-1 after two periods.
NOTES: The Panthers scratched D Dylan McIlrath, C Colton Sceviour (shoulder), who did not make the trip, and RW Paul Thompson. ... The Stars scratched RW Adam Cracknell, D Stephen Johns and D Patrik Nemeth. ... Panthers D Jason Demers, RW Jaromir Jagr, LW Jussi Jokinen and RW Reilly Smith each once played for Dallas. ... Stars LW Patrick Sharp returned from a 12-game absence with concussion-like symptoms. He last played Dec. 1 at Pittsburgh after returning from a 14-game absence for similar symptoms on Nov. 18. ... Florida played one road game before returning home to host Winnipeg on Jan. 4. ... Dallas played on New Year's Eve for the 19th time since relocating from Minnesota in 1993. ... Panthers LW Shawn Thornton was teammates with Stars C Tyler Seguin on Boston's 2011 Stanley Cup-winning team. ... Dallas was playing the second game of a three-game homestand. ... Panthers G James Reimer started his second consecutive game.