The Rat Trick
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Jagr’s Pair Leads Florida Panthers Over Ottawa Senators

By Ethan Goldsmith

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With the Florida Panthers clinging on to dear life in their hopes to make the playoffs, they come into a two-game stretch which will fully test them, starting with the Ottawa Senators.  After a tough Overtime loss to Montreal on Saturday, the Panthers were right back at it against one of the two teams standing between them and the precious eight seed in the east.  Boston is the other team, and are the closing end of the two game span on Tuesday.  Ottawa also lost in overtime on Saturday, after blowing a late lead to the lowly Toronto Maple Leafs.

The game was being hyped up as a playoff-like match up, and it did not disappoint. The Panthers had gotten the first eight shots on net halfway through the first period, and after some back and forth scoring chances, where both goaltenders were up to task, the period ended scoreless with the cats holding a 14-9 shot advantage.

The Panthers continued to come out strong in the second, and it was 43 year old Jaromir Jagr who scored first.  Jagr, who has looked revitalized since joining the Panthers on February 26th buried a five-hole shot on the power play.  The goal came from Jonathan Huberdeau and Dimitry Kulikov at 7:46 of the period.  Later on in the frame, Jussi Jokinen potted his eighth of the year on the power play as well.  Assists to Dave Bolland, his 16th, and Brian Campbell, his 22nd.

In the final frame, Ottawa started to come on, feeling the desperation both teams need to play with.  Sens Captain Erik Karlsson scored a power play marker of his own to cut the lead in half, but Jaromir Jagr would answer back with a beauty.  Jagr swept in on the near wall, drew Craig Anderson out of position, and put it home on the wraparound.  The Sens would score one more time to bring the game to within one with 2:21 left, but Dave Bolland scored an empty netter, which doubled as the Panthers’ first shorthanded goal of the season, to complete the 4-2 win.

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Dan Ellis was strong in his first start since Roberto Luongo returned from injury, as he made 25 saves, many of which were of quality.  However, the man who was first star, and has been first star since donning a Panthers uniform, was Jaromir Jagr.  His two goals were his 14th and 15th of the season, and since being acquired from the Devils, has 12 points in his 14 games.  One day after Panthers GM Dale Tallon and Jagr’s agent agreed to hold off on contract negotiations until after the season, Jagr has continued to prove his worth and then some.  Not only has he been great, but his mentorship has been invaluable to linemates Sasha Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau, whose csombined ages don’t even add up to Jagr’s.  Since Jagr’s arrival, that line has 13 goals and 25 assists in the same 14 games.  Huberdeau has taken much of Jagr’s advice to heart and has exploded to hit 49 points after the game Sunday.  If you were to ask Panthers fans their thoughts on resigning Jagr, you’d see close to 100% of them say “SIGN HIM NOW, GIVE HIM WHATEVER HE WANTS!” He has played like he deserves whatever he wants as well. Jagr has been a leader on this team and helped lead the Panthers over Ottawa on this night as well.

Boston beat Carolina in overtime, so Ottawa is 3 points out and Florida remains 4.

The Panthers are in Boston on Tuesday, and start a five-game homestand to end the season vs. Carolina Thursday.

The other four games include hosting the Lightning, Candiens, Bruins and ending the season vs. the New Jersey Devils.

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