Panthers 4, Flames 3
SUNRISE, Fla. -- Right winger Jaromir Jagr scored the winning goal with 11:49 left in the third period, helping the Florida Panthers snap a five-game losing streak by beating the Calgary Flames 4-3 Tuesday night at the BB&T Center.
Jagr's team-leading seventh goal of the season came off an assist from center Nick Bjugstad. Jagr had an assist earlier in the game.
The Panthers (6-6-3) got the start they wanted as they played the first of eight straight games in Florida -- seven home contests and one at the Tampa Bay Lightning.
It was the first time in six games that the Panthers had scored more than two goals, getting markers from center Vincent Trocheck, right winger Reilly Smith and defenseman Aaron Ekblad. Left winger Jussi Jokinen picked up two assists.
Calgary (5-10-1) dropped the opener of a four-game road trip to end a modest two-game winning streak. The Flames got two goals from right winger David Jones and one from center Sean Monahan.
Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo got the win, making 25 saves. He slightly outplayed Flames goalie Karri Ramo, who also made 25 saves.
Florida scored first, getting a power-play goal by Trocheck with 14:44 left in the first period. After Calgary defenseman Kris Russell was sent off for interfering with Florida left winger Garrett Wilson, the Panthers went to work.
A shot by Jokinen was stopped, but Ramo left a juicy rebound, and Trocheck took advantage.
Just less than two minutes later, Calgary evened the score on a goal by Jones. The play was set up by a sweet drop pass from center Joe Colborne, and Florida's defense was slow to react.
Florida took a 2-1 lead with 4:17 left in the first period. Ramo stopped another shot by Jokinen, but Smith pounced on the rebound, scoring off his backhand.
The Panthers went up 3-1 with 16:07 left in the second period. Jagr's lateral pass set up Ekblad's wrist shot for the goal.
Calgary cut its deficit to 3-2 when center Matt Stajan's stretch pass freed Jones ahead of Florida's defense. Luongo got his glove on Jones' high shot, but it trickled past the Panthers goalie.
The Flames tied the score 3-3 with 1:28 left in the second period. Right winger Jiri Hudler screened Luongo and got his stick on a shot by defenseman TJ Brodie. Monahan then cleaned up with his fourth goal of the season.
NOTES: Panthers C Dave Bolland (hand) returned after missing two games. ... Florida sent rookie LW Connor Brickley, 23, down to the AHL's Portland Pirates. A second-round pick in 2010, Brickley had one goal and two assists in 10 games. ... Panthers C Derek MacKenzie entered Tuesday with a team-best plus-7 rating. ... Florida scratched D Steven Kampfer and LW Shawn Thornton. ... Flames LW Micheal Ferland (lower-body injury) played for the first time since Oct. 23. ... Flames RW Michael Frolik (flu) missed practice but was in the lineup. ... Frolik's favorite player growing up was fellow Kladno, Czech Republic native Jaromir Jagr, now of the Panthers. Since Jagr wore No. 68, Frolik opted for one spot below him -- No. 67. ... Frolik, 27, is 16 years younger than Jagr. Frolik's nickname growing up: "Baby Jagr." ... Calgary scratched LWs Brandon Bollig and Mason Raymond and D Ladislav Smid.