panoo

Associated Press
3/27/2007 10:03:43 PM

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Olli Jokinen had a goal and two assists, and Ed Belfour stopped 27 shots to lead the Florida Panthers past the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-2 Tuesday night.

Jokinen has six goals and seven assists in his past five games. He shares second place with Pavel Bure on the franchise goal-scoring list with 152.

A victory would have lifted Tampa Bay into a tie with Atlanta atop the Southeast Division. Instead, the Lightning weakened their position in a crowded Eastern Conference playoff chase.

Brad Richards put the Lightning ahead 4:54 into the second period. Jason Ward picked up a loose puck along the right boards and found Richards, who beat Belfour sliding toward the left post.

Florida drew even on a two-man advantage midway through the period, when Stephen Weiss redirected a rebound off the backboard past goalie Marc Denis. The Panthers came in 0-for-25 on the power play in their past eight games.

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