The three-game sweep of the NHL from Sunday starts in Sunrise, Florida where the Panthers defeated the Vancouver Canucks, 5-4, in the skills competition.
Aleksander Barkov scored the game-winner in the shootout.
Jaromir Jagr scored 732nd career goal in win over Canucks – file photo by Lew3is Bleiman
Jaromir Jagr moved into the fourth spot in league scoring by passing Marcel Dionne with his 732nd career goal
“That goal was sweet and the win was even sweeter,” Jagr told the Panthers website. “We have to make sure we can win more game before the Christmas break. … It was a little bit tough. We had tough bounces today but we didn’t give up and waited for the perfect opportunity to win the hockey game.
“I’ve played with a lot of great players. That’s what makes it a lot easier for me. I started in Pittsburgh with great players and hopefully I’ll finish here with great players.”
The Panthers have won four straight.
“It was good thing to win the game and get two points,” Barkov said. “It was a pretty tough game for us tonight. We scored four goals and that has to be enough to win the game. We were not that good in the defensive zone.”
Roberto Luongo‘s 30 saves were enough for the two points.
“It’s been a real good run,” Panthers coach Gerard Gallant said. “We have one more huge game coming up here Tuesday before the break. … We battled back the last 20 games have been really good for our club.”
In Detroit, the Red Wings doubled-up the Calgary Flames, 4-2.
The Wings erased a 1-0 Flames lead in the second period when they scored three unanswered goals.
“We had some good offense going,” Red Wings center Riley Sheahan said. “Once we realized when we put the puck behind them and skate underneath, we had some success. We were trying to do that and get out of our zone as quick as possible and things were working.”
Dylan Larkin, Brad Richards, Gustav Nyquist and Justin Abdelkader scored for Detroit.
“Our second period was the way we have to play hockey to be successful,” Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said.
Dennis Wideman and Dougie Hamilton had goals for the Flames.
“A few turnovers and they made us pay. They’re a good skating hockey club and they capitalized on their pressure,” Flames coach Bob Hartley said. “Turnovers flip the momentum and you can’t find your way out of your own zone.”
Petr Mrazek made 26 saves for the win and Karri Ramo stopped 31 shots in the loss.
The loss was Calgary’s second straight after an impressive seven-game win streak.
“Maybe we don’t have enough energy to get on top of teams and forecheck and backcheck,” Hamilton said.
In Chicago, the Blackhawks got a third period goal from Andrew Shaw to force overtime with the San Jose Sharks and Jonathan Toews won it for Chicago with a goal midway through the extra session.
“These are the ones you build on through the year,” said Andrew Shaw. “The team comes together and you find a way to win those tight, close games. You keep doing all those little things right, and good things are going to start going your way.”
Joonas Donskoi, Tommy Wingels and Joe Pavelski scored for the Sharks.
“I think the whole night we felt pretty good about what we were doing,” Pavelski said. “It’s just those fractions that are certainly the difference lately. We’ve got to stay with it, because we played a pretty good game. It wasn’t good enough. [Chicago is] a good team over there, and they find ways. We needed to find a way tonight and we didn’t.”
For San Jose, it was disappointing to lose the game but still managed the loser’s point.
“That’s a good point for us, considering the circumstances coming in here,” Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said. “Karlsson went down just before the game, so we’re a little shorthanded. [We] gave the young guys a lot of good minutes and they held up. The only thing we didn’t do was find a way to get the fourth goal.”
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