Panthers edge Rangers for 6th straight win

SUNRISE, Va. -- Olli Jokinen scored a power-play goal 7:12 into the third period, stretching the Florida Panthers' winning streak to a season-high six and handing the New York Rangers their first regulation loss in more than a month, 3-2 on Friday night.

The Rangers had been 10-0-3 since a 4-1 home loss to Anaheim on Feb. 7.

Florida's winning streak is the third longest in team history.

Rostislav Olesz and Jassen Cullimore also scored for Florida, which is making a push for a spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Panthers have 76 points, three fewer than eighth-place Philadelphia.

Dan Girardi and Scott Gomez scored for the Rangers, sixth in the East with 83 points.

Florida's Tomas Vokoun stopped 30 shots, two more than Henrik Lundqvist of the Rangers.

Jokinen's goal was his first in nine games. With Martin Straka in the penalty box for hooking, Steve Montador took a shot from the point that Lundqvist couldn't glove. Jokinen dug the puck out of a crowd in front and scored his 31st of the season.

After Olesz and Girardi traded goals in the first period, the Rangers took advantage of a 5-on-3 at the start of the second to take a 2-1 lead.

Gomez scored 28 seconds in when he banged in a rebound off Brendan Shanahan's one-timer from the point.

Florida tied it at 11:42 of the second on Cullimore's third of the season. Cullimore fired a slap shot from the point through traffic and beat Lundqvist low to the glove side.