• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Stumpel's two goals lift Panthers over Bruins

Dec 17, 2006 - 4:40 AM BOSTON (Ticker) -- Jozef Stumpel came back to haunt his old team in a big way.

Stumpel scored two goals and added two assists as the Florida Panthers continued their mastery of the Boston Bruins with a 6-3 victory.

The win was Florida's third in as many games against Boston this season. The Panthers, who only have 11 victories, defeated the Bruins, 8-3, on October 6 and 3-2 on November 20.

"I don't know if it's the Christmastime, but it was like this last season," Stumpel said. "I wish we can get going and start playing like this all the time, catching some teams and make the playoffs. It always feels good to win, especially here."

"I don't know what it is about Florida," Boston right wing Brad Boyes said. "Tonight, it was the penalties that killed us. The other night against New Jersey, we limited their power plays, and tonight, we didn't do that."

Stumpel, who played eight seasons in two stints with the Bruins, scored the game-winner at 4:10 of the third period on a power play. The center redirected captain Olli Jokinen's shot past goaltender Tim Thomas to give the Panthers a 4-3 lead.

"I just had my back to the net and got in front. It went off of me and past their goalie," Stumpel said. "Olli and me are playing with a lot of confidence right now on that line."

Stumpel scored his first goal to tie the game, 1-1, at 10:45 of the first period on a 5-on-3 situation, taking a pass from Gary Roberts and sliding the puck past Thomas.

"I remember Jozef was playing like this last year toward the end," Florida coach Jacques Martin said. "Maybe we just have to get him started earlier in the season."

Stumpel's best season with Boston came in 1996-97, when he netted 21 goals and finished with 76 points in 78 games.

The Panthers pulled away later in the third as Jokinen tallied at 13:32 and Roberts added an empty-netter with 98 seconds remaining.

Ville Peltonen, Rostislav Olesz, Jokinen and Roberts scored the other goals for Florida. Ed Belfour made 18 saves.

Glen Murray scored twice and Marco Sturm had the other tally for the Bruins, who have lost three of four. Murray's first goal was his 600th career point.

Just two minutes into the second period, the right wing skated in on a 2-on-1 with Marc Savard, took a pass in the right faceoff circle and snapped the puck over Belfour's blocker for a 2-1 lead.

The Panthers, who entered with the league's sixth-ranked power play, went 3-for-7 with the extra skater.

"They seem to get a lot of power plays against us, and that's been a big reason for their success," Boston coach Dave Lewis said. "They have one of the best power plays in the league, and when you give them that many chances, they have a way of scoring."