Panthers end Rangers' run

Florida, Washington gain on Canes

It took the streaking Florida Panthers to cool off the visiting New York Rangers.

Olli Jokinen's tiebreaking power-play goal 7:12 into the third period stretched the Panthers' winning streak to a season-high six and handed the Rangers their first regulation loss in more than a month, 3-2 on Friday night.

"They're playing great hockey," said Rangers forward Scott Gomez, who scored one of New York's goals. "They stuck to their game plan. Certain guys over there are stepping up their play. Give them credit."

The Rangers had been 10-0-3 since a 4-1 home loss to Anaheim on Feb. 7. One of those victories was a 5-0 shutout over the Panthers on Feb. 24.

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, who are tied with the Washington Capitals, have 76 points, three fewer than eighth-place Philadelphia and five behind Southeast Division-leading Carolina.

ALSO FRIDAY

CAPITALS 4, THRASHERS 1: Brooks Laich scored two goals, and Alex Ovechkin and Matt Cooke each had a goal and an assist to lead host Washington over Atlanta.

Laich, who had never scored twice in his first 214 NHL games, has multigoal efforts in three of his past nine.

Ovechkin, the NHL leader in goals and points, gave Washington a 4-1 lead with his 57th goal and 99th point. He assisted on Laich's first of the night.

BLACKHAWKS 6, BLUE JACKETS 3: Cam Barker, Patrick Kane and Andrew Ladd had a goal and an assist each, and visiting Chicago snapped a four-game losing streak by beating Columbus.

Duncan Keith, Dave Bolland and Dustin Byfuglien also scored for the Blackhawks, who jumped to a 3-0 lead.

Fredrik Modin, Dan Fritsche and Rick Nash tallied for the Blue Jackets, who have won only one of nine home games.

LATE THURSDAY

AVALANCHE 5, OILERS 1: Jaroslav Hlinka and Tyler Arnason each had a goal and an assist, helping host Colorado move into first place in the Northwest Division.

Colorado has won eight of nine, including five at home, and owns the division lead outright for the first time since Dec. 18.

COYOTES 2, CANUCKS 0: Ilya Bryzgalov had 24 saves for his fifth career shutout, and host Phoenix defeated Vancouver, reviving the Coyotes' playoff hopes.

Niko Kapanen and Daniel Winnik each scored a goal, and Martin Hanzal had two assists for Phoenix, which pulled within three points of the eighth-place Canucks in the Western Conference race. The teams meet again Monday in Vancouver.

NOTES

ANOTHER WEEK FOR CROSBY: Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby said after practice Friday he will miss another week to recover from a high-ankle sprain.

The Penguins have yet to gauge the full impact of their trading-deadline deal to acquire Marian Hossa from the Atlanta Thrashers because either Hossa, Crosby or both have been hurt in every game since. Hossa has been slowed by a knee injury.

Crosby missed 21 games after hurting his right ankle in March, came back and played in three games, but then missed Wednesday's 7-3 home win against Buffalo because of ankle soreness.

UNEVEN DISCIPLINE: Chris Simon said he thinks there's something wrong with the NHL's system for handing out discipline.

After watching Anaheim's Chris Pronger step on Vancouver's Ryan Kesler and walk away unpunished, the oft-suspended Minnesota Wild forward wondered why.

The play happened Wednesday night when Pronger and Kesler became tangled behind the Vancouver net. As Pronger turned to head back up ice, replays show him stepping on Kesler's leg as the Canucks forward lay on the ice.

The NHL did not discipline Pronger for the incident but suspended Simon 30 games for stomping on the leg of Pittsburgh's Jarkko Ruutu earlier this season.