Jagr Picks Up 731st Career Goal, Panthers Top Capitals 4-1
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SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Jaromir Jagr moved into a tie for fourth on the all-time goals list with a first-period score that sparked the Florida Panthers to a 4-1 win over the Washington Capitals on Thursday night.
Jagr gave the Panthers the lead 51 seconds into the game. Dmitry Kulikov's long shot from the point was deflected by Jagr and bounced into the net. The goal was Jagr's first since Nov. 21 and the 731st of his career, tying him for fourth on the all-time list with Hall of Famer Marcel Dionne.
Logan Shaw, Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Pirri also scored for the Panthers and Jonathan Huberdeau had two assists. Al Montoya had 19 saves. The Panthers snapped a two-game losing streak and have won six of their last eight.
Alex Ovechkin scored for Washington and Philipp Grubauer stopped 23 shots in his first start in nine games. The Metropolitan Division-leading Capitals have dropped two straight.
Leading 2-0, Ekblad stretched the Panthers lead to 3-0 in the third period. During 4-on-4 play, Ekblad took a pass from Huberdeau in the right circle and fired it past Grubauer at 7:19 of the third.
Pirri's power-play goal gave the Panthers a 2-0 lead in the second. Pirri one-timed a pass from Brian Campbell in the right circle over Grubauer's glove at 9:16.
Ovechkin scored a power-play goal with a shot from the right circle with 2:08 left to close to 3-1.
Shaw's empty-net goal, the second of his career, made the score 4-1.
Washington's Tom Wilson received a five-minute major and a game misconduct for boarding Campbell at 5:43 of the third.
NOTES: The start of the game was delayed 17 minutes because the required emergency personnel left to assist at a nearby accident. . Panthers D Steven Kampfer left the game in the first period with a lower-body injury and did not return. ... C Nick Bjugstad missed the past five games and will be out indefinitely with an upper-body injury. ... Some of the Capitals players' fathers and mentors accompanied them on the trip to Florida.. Washington D Matt Niskanen played in his 600th NHL game.
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