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Panthers look to continue improved play

Feb 27, 2007 - 3:58 PM Florida (24-26-13) at Washington (24-29-10) 7:00 pm EST

WASHINGTON (Ticker) -- The Florida Panthers are starting to turn it around, but they have a long way to go.

In a battle of the Southeast Division's bottom feeders, the Panthers will take on the Washington Capitals on Tuesday.

However, Florida has started to look better, posting a 4-1-2 record since a recent three-game losing streak and recording a 14-8-7 mark since December 16.

The Panthers completed a season sweep of the Bruins with a 7-2 triumph on Saturday. Chris Gratton scored two goals and set up another and Stephen Weiss added a tally and two assists.

Nathan Horton, Martin Gelinas and captain Olli Jokinen each had a goal and an assist and Juraj Kolnik set up three tallies for the Panthers, who remained 10 points behind Carolina for the final postseason berth in the Eastern Conference.

Florida looks to keep its success going against Washington, which has lost the last three meetings against the Panthers after winning the first two contests to open the eight-game series.

Sitting in last place, the Capitals have lost six of their last seven games, including a 3-2 defeat to New Jersey in the finale of a home-and-home series on Sunday. Washington opened the series with a 4-2 victory at Continental Airlines Arena one night earlier.