Panthers score seven in win against Predators

NASHVILLE -- Jaromir Jagr scored for the Florida Panthers in a 7-4 win against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena on Saturday and is one point from 1,900 in his NHL career.
Jagr gave the Panthers a 1-0 lead at 4:24 of the first period on a redirection. Defenseman Keith Yandle shot from the point, and Jagr redirected it past Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne for his 10th goal.
"It was nice," Panthers goaltender Roberto Luongo said. "All of the lines were rolling, controlling the puck in the offensive zone, making some plays. It's nice to get the goal support."

WACH: All Panthers vs. Predators highlights
Predators forward Viktor Arvidsson got his first NHL hat trick and leads Nashville with 18 goals.
"We didn't play with any purpose," Predators coach Peter Laviolette said. "There's no passion, no effort. You're never going to win a hockey game. The actions that we gave were going to give us the results that we got. It's that simple."
Roman Josi tied it 1-1 at 9:19 on a slap shot from the point. Jussi Jokinen gave the Panthers a 2-1 lead at 5:52 of the second period on the power play. Forward Vincent Trocheck led the rush into the offensive zone and made a cross-ice pass to Jokinen, who beat Rinne for his seventh goal.

Nick Bjugstad gave the Panthers a 3-2 lead at 7:24 on a backhand from below the left faceoff circle for his second goal of the season. Trocheck gave the Panthers a 4-2 lead 29 seconds later on a breakaway. He intercepted a pass at the blueline and beat Rinne.
Rinne was pulled for Juuse Saros after Trocheck scored. Rinne allowed four goals on 16 shots, Saros allowed two on 20.
Aleksander Barkov gave the Panthers a 5-2 lead at 9:53 on the power play. He won the faceoff and fought through two defenders to beat Saros for his 11th goal. Jonathan Huberdeau gave the Panthers a 6-3 lead at 2:30 of the third period on a wrist shot from the right faceoff circle for his second goal of the season.

"It's great to have [Huberdeau] and [Barkov] back," Trocheck said. "Each pieces of the puzzle. Any time they're back in the lineup, it makes everybody else feel a little bit more comfortable and lets us all play our roles."
Trocheck scored his 20th of the season into an empty net with 38 seconds remaining to make it 7-4.

Goal of the game

Arvidsson's second goal came shorthanded on a one-timer from the left faceoff circle. Ryan Ellis made a cross-ice pass from the right faceoff circle that Arvidsson shot past Luongo.

Save of the game

Luongo stopped Calle Jarnkrok in the third period on a shot from the boards next to the right faceoff circle. The goalie went to play the puck behind the net, was able to get back to the crease and made a glove save on Jarnkrok's wrist shot.

Unsung performance of the game

Panthers forward Reilly Smith hit Trocheck with a lead pass that started the rush that led to Jokinen's goal. Smith made a cross-ice pass in the neutral zone to Trocheck and then distracted Ellis by going to the net, which freed up Jokinen for the goal.

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Highlight of the game

Trocheck knocked a pass from Predators forward Filip Forsberg out of the air and beat Rinne on a breakaway with a wrist shot on the glove side.

They said it

"It was really good. Guys competed real hard. I thought, to a guy, we really paid attention to the defensive side of the game first and then once we got the puck, we went on offense." -- Panthers coach Tom Rowe
"The only good thing right now is that we play tomorrow. We've got a chance to move forward and take something that was ugly and try to learn from it and be better. A lot of times they say you should put it in the trash can and forget about it. I think we should take it home and wrestle with it all night." -- Predators coach Peter Laviolette

Need to know

The Panthers started a five-game road trip and are 4-1-0 in their past five games. … The Predators dropped to the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference with the loss and are one point ahead of the Calgary Flames.

What's next

Panthers: At the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday (10:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN, NHL.TV)
Predators:Host the Dallas Stars on Sunday (6 p.m. ET; TVA Sports, FS-SW, FS-TN, NHL.TV)