Jokinen, Campbell Lead Cats To Victory

Florida Panthers center Olli Jokinen, left, celebrates after scoring his second goal in the first period against the Philadelphia Flyers during a hockey game in Sunrise, Fla., Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2007. At right is Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Derian Hatcher. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

By Dave Joseph for floridapanthers.com
 
Moments after the Panthers skated off the ice Wednesday evening at BankAtlantic Center, Radek Dvorak unlaced his skates and motioned around a jubilant locker room.
 
“Look around at this team,” said the veteran forward. “Everyone on this team can make plays. It’s a good team with good young players. We just have to make the right decisions with the puck and different guys will step up.”
 
Against the once-defeated Flyers, the Panthers made nearly all the right moves. Led by Olli Jokinen’s two, record-setting goals and Gregory Campbell's first multi-goal game, the Panthers beat the Flyers 4-3 to climb a game within the .500 mark.
 
“I thought it was a great effort,” said GM and coach Jacques Martin. “In all three periods I thought we outplayed them. It was the game we created the most chances.”
 
In fact, except for a few lapses, the Panthers controlled the game much of the night. They stopped Daniel Briere from being a presence in the game and fired a season-high 42 shots at Flyer goalie Martin Biron.
 
“I like our chances getting 30 plus shots every night,” Jokinen said.
 
Jozef Stumpel was a force in the faceoff circle (winning eight of 10 draw) and defenseman Bryan Allen had two assists, his first points of the season.
 
“(The Flyers) were a good team and they were a good measuring stick,” Campbell said. “We expect a lot of ourselves.”
 

JOKINEN BREAK-OUT BOX
MOST GOALS
Olli Jokinen	158
Scott Mellanby	157
MOST ASSISTS
Robert Svehla	229
Olli Jokinen	198
MOST POINTS
Olli Jokinen	356
Scott Mellanby	354
MOST POWER PLAY GOALS
Scott Mellanby	66
Olli Jokinen	50
MOST SHORT-HANDED GOALS
Tom Fitzgerald	12
Pavel Bure	9
Bill Lindsay	8
Olli Jokinen	8
CONSECUTIVE GAMES PLAYED
Olli Jokinen	303
Robert Svehla	300

 
Jokinen had 10 shots on the evening and, along with his two, first period goals, he also drew two penalties.
 
“It’s nice,” said Jokinen of the records. “I’ve been lucky enough to play with good linemates. But the main thing is to keep getting wins. The points, the goals…they don’t matter if we don’t make the playoffs.”
 
Jokinen made it 1-0 just 2:35 into the game when Stumpel won the faceoff in the Flyer end and Jokinen banged the rebound from a Jay Bouwmeester shot past goalie Martin Biron.
 

Game Highlights
Starting Lineups
Panthers		Lightning
Jokinen	C	Briere
Stumpel	LW	Gagne
Zednik	RW	Lupul
Bouwmeester	D	Smith
Allen	D	Timonen
Vokoun	G	Biron
Post-Game Video
Jacques Martin  Olli Jokinen   Gregory Campbell   Stephen Weiss
PhotoGallery
Panthers vs Flyers
Quote of the Game
"For me there's no reason to look ahead or look back, I just have to keep going and help the team to win." - captain Olli Jokinen on him breaking the Panthers career records in goals and points.
Stat of the Game
Jokinen's two goals put him to the top of the Panthers record books for career stats in two categories: Most Goals and Most Points.
3 Stars Presented by Szrio Jewelry
1. Olli Jokinen 2. Gregory Campbell 3. Joffrey Lupul

 
After failing to score during a four-minute power play early in the second period, the Panthers gave up two goals in 1:45. The first came on a power play by Joffrey Lupui and the second by Jeff Carter on a two-on-one rush with R.J. Umberger.
 
But Campbell got the two goals back.
 
His first, at 14:16 of the second period, came when he took a slap shot from just inside the Flyers’ blue line that deflected off Smith and then trickled through Biron. Campbell’s second goal came at 1:59 of the third period when he backhanded a puck past Biron that the Flyer defensemen had trouble clearing. Dvorak also had a big hand in the play, fighting to get the puck behind the Flyer net.
 
“I’m not usually the one to get two goals,” Campbell said. “But different guys have to step up.”
 
Despite a third goal by the Flyers, the Panthers were strong in the final minutes, not allowing the Flyers to set up in the offensive end.
 
“This was a big game for us,” Dvorak said. “It’s a huge couple points, especially after the last couple road games (in Toronto and Ottawa). I thought we did a good job controlling the game tonight and pressuring their defense.”
 
Martin also gave credit to “some of our grinders.” After the Flyers tied the game at two, the Panther’s third and fourth lines took the momentum away from the Flyers, ultimately leading to the first of Campbell’s two goals.
 
Martin juggled his lines with Rostislav Olesz and David Booth out of the lineup. Martin started the game with Jokinen, Jozef Stumpel and Richard Zednik, Stephen Weiss, Nathan Horton and Ville Peltonen, Campbell, Brett McLean and Anthony Stewart, and Dvorak, Kamil Kreps and Stefan Meyer.
 
The Panthers can get back to the .500 mark Friday at BankAtlantic Center when they play host to the Sabres.