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Jagr burns former team as Panthers edge Devils

Apr 12, 2015 - 4:27 AM Sunrise, FL (SportsNetwork.com) - Jaromir Jagr burned his former teammates for a goal and an assist in the third period, lifting the Florida Panthers to a 3-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils in the season finale for both teams on Saturday night.

Jagr played 57 games for New Jersey this season before the Panthers acquired him for a pair of draft picks at the trade deadline. Florida was trying to make a playoff push, but came up short. Jagr, though, made a significant impact for the Panthers with six goals and 12 assists in 20 games.

"We don't look at his age," Panthers coach Gerard Gallant said of the 43-year- old Jagr. "We look at his production. And he's been very good for us."

Jonathan Huberdeau and Dave Bolland also scored for the Panthers (38-29-15), who finished with 91 points -- a 25-point improvement from last season's 66. Al Montoya finished with 31 saves in Florida's second straight victory.

Jordin Tootoo and Damon Severson scored for New Jersey (32-36-14), which went just 1-6-3 in its last 10 games. The Devils missed the playoffs for the third straight season and the club's poor start in 2014-15 cost coach Peter DeBoer his job in late December.

"We were close and couldn't get it done in certain games," said Devils co- coach Lou Lamoriello. "I don't feel good about it. We'll just have to make some decisions going forward."

Cory Schneider made 24 saves in defeat.

Florida took a 2-1 lead at 7:59 of the third when Huberdeau banged in a rebound for his 15th goal. Jagr took the initial shot from the right circle and picked up his 1,080th career assist, surpassing Devils co-coach Adam Oates for sixth on the all-time list.

The Devils tied it with 8:59 remaining while skating 4-on-4 when Severson scored on a shot from the right circle, but the Panthers went ahead for good just over a minute later while on a power play.

Jagr, standing in front of the crease, picked up a rebound and shifted the puck to his forehand before beating Schneider's outstretched right pad for his 17th goal.

Mike Cammalleri nearly tied it for New Jersey a few minutes later while short- handed, but couldn't convert on a breakaway.

Tootoo gave the Devils the lead just 1:50 into the second period with his 10th goal. He started the play by carrying the puck across the Florida blue line along the left wing and left a drop pass for Travis Zajac, who skated toward the high slot before sending it back Tootoo for a low wrister from the left circle.

Bolland tied it for Florida midway through the second, finishing off a pretty three-way passing play with Jussi Jokinen and Brad Boyes for his sixth goal.

The Panthers had a goal waved off with just over three minutes left in the second when Jimmy Hayes was called for incidental contact with the goaltender.

Game Notes

Jagr played in his 1,550th NHL game, surpassing Alex Delvecchio for 11th on the all-time list ... Tootoo's 10 goals are the second-most of his career. He scored 11 during the 2007-08 season with Nashville ... Florida defenseman Steven Kampfer left the contest midway through the third with an apparent knee injury after taking a knee-on-knee hit from New Jersey's Steve Bernier, who was given a kneeing major and a game misconduct ... The Devils had won the last three meetings with Florida, including the first two this season.