Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Another milestone for Jagr
Right-winger moves into fifth place on all-time assists list
SUNRISE — A couple of future Hall of Fame Panthers were hoping to plead the fifth.
Instead, the Panthers just pleaded for some offense against a poor defensive team in a flat 4-1 loss to the Winnipeg Jets Thursday night at the BB&T Center. Instead of throwing rats, the fans rained down boos after the final buzzer.
In his third attempt (0-1-2), Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo again failed to notch his 448th career victory, which would break his tie with Terry Sawchuk and place him alone into fifth-place on the alltime victory list.
However, Jaromir Jagr did cross off another milestone with his 1,136th assist to zip past former Penguins teammate Paul Coffey into fifth place all-time. He’s 33 helpers behind Ray Bourque for fourth place.
The Jets, showing no signs of fatigue despite downing the host Lightning 6-4 Tuesday, entered as the 27th-ranked defensive team in the NHL, but won their third consecutive road game to sweep the two-game season series.
Trailing 2-1 after two periods,
the Jets added an insurance tally just 2:46 into the third. Bryan Little outbattled Panthers defenseman Mike Matheson for the puck on the side boards before passing to Nikolaj Ehlers for a wrist shot from the middle of the dot past Luongo’s glove. With 7:55 left, Mark Scheifele applied the backbreaker with a rebound goal.
Jagr’s historic helper came with 1:42 left in the second period after a turnover by defenseman Ben Chiarot in the neutral zone. His pass was taken by a streaking Greg McKegg, who skated in before rifling a riser over Connor Hellebuyck’s (31 saves) shoulder to cut the deficit to 2-1 and give the Panthers momentum heading into the third period.
McKegg, called up from Springfield (AHL) last week, was playing on his first shift ever with Jagr when he potted his first goal of the season in his 21st game and third of his career. McKegg was one of several forwards taking turns playing on the top line with Jagr and Trocheck after Seth Griffith went out in the first period when his face collided with Ehlers.
The Jets snapped a 0-0 deadlock at 5:03 of the second period when off the faceoff Paul Postma’s shot from the point was deftly redirected by former Panther Shawn Matthias, his fifth goal.
The Jets made it 2-zip at 7:24 while skating 4-on-4 when Matheson was stripped of the puck by Little right in front of Luongo. He fed teenage phenom Patrik Laine for a wide-open layup. It was Laine’s teamleading 21st goal, which also leads all rookies. Adam Lowry, son of former Panther Dave Lowry, got the secondary assist.
McIlrath sent down
Defenseman Dylan
McIlrath was loaned to Springfield of the AHL so he could get some playing time.
McIlrath, acquired by the Panthers from the Rangers on Nov. 8, has played just four games. Rowe said he will play three games for Springfield before rejoining the Panthers for a road game against the Devils on Monday. … Rowe said center Aleksander Barkov will miss another two weeks with an undisclosed injury before he gets re-evaluated. … Forward Colton Sceviour missed his second consecutive game with a shoulder injury, but Rowe said if this was a playoff game he would be in there.
Jagr on Columbus streak
Jagr was 21 in his third season in the NHL when the Pittsburgh Penguins reeled off an NHL-record 17 victories in a row from March 9 to April 10, 1993.
Jagr, who notched 10 goals and 14 assists before the streak ended in a 6-6 tie with the Devils in their regular-season finale, was asked how difficult it is for the Columbus Blue Jackets as they attempt to tie the record Thursday.
“That’s impressive. With a long schedule like that, 82 games ... they can find extra motivation to play like in the playoffs,’’ Jagr said after morning skate.
The Panthers won a franchise-record 12 games in a row last season, but haven’t won more than two consecutive games this season.