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Panthers welcome Avs to Sunrise

Dec 7, 2010 - 3:49 PM (Sports Network) - A pair of struggling teams will meet tonight in Florida as the Panthers welcome the Colorado Avalanche for an interconference meeting at BankAtlantic Center.

Colorado enters tonight with three straight losses and the Avalanche are just 1-3-2 since a season-high four-game winning streak. Florida is coming off a win, but the Panthers are 2-5-0 over its last seven games.

The Avalanche are 0-1-2 in their last three games and have matched their longest skid of the season. Colorado went 0-2-1 from Oct. 21-26, but the Avs haven't lost four in a row since March 27-April 2 of last season.

Colorado was dealt a regulation loss in Tampa on Saturday after dropping its previous two games in overtime. Simon Gagne and Martin St. Louis both registered a goal and two assists to help the Lightning outlast the Avalanche, 6-5.

Sean Bergenheim's tally at the 15:55 mark of the third period gave Tampa Bay a 6-3 lead, but the Avalanche recorded a pair of goals with the goaltender on the bench to make things interesting. However, Colorado was not able to net the equalizer in the final minute.

Matt Duchene and Milan Hejduk each had a goal and an assist for Colorado. Peter Budaj surrendered all six goals on 39 shots.

"For 60 minutes, we need to be better. There's no question," said Avalanche head coach Joe Sacco.

The Avs have a pair of players entering tonight's game with lengthy point streaks. Kevin Shattenkirk has recorded a point in nine straight games, notching four goals and nine assists over that stretch. It's the longest by a rookie defenseman in franchise history.

Veteran winger Milan Hejduk has five goals and five helpers during a seven- game run.

Colorado is making the third stop on a five-game road trip tonight and Sacco's club is 6-6-2 as the visiting club this year.

The Panthers will try to win consecutive games for the first time since Nov. 10-12 when they take the ice tonight against the Avs.

Florida snapped a two-game slide with Saturday's shootout victory in Phoenix. Michael Frolik registered the game-winner in the fifth round of the deciding phase to give Florida the 2-1 victory in the desert.

After Lauri Korpikoski failed on a wrister to start the round, Frolik used the backhand to score on Ilya Bryzgalov and win the game for the visitors. Frolik also tallied in regulation for Florida, which received 40 saves from Scott Clemmensen.

"It was just a total team effort tonight," Clemmensen said. "Everyone played so well tonight from the defense on up to the forwards. We needed a win and in order to get a team win like we had was very important."

The Panthers did lose winger Radek Dvorak for an extended period of time after he sustained a Grade 3 shoulder separation while crashing into the boards on Saturday. Dvorak, who has five goals and five assists this year, is expected to miss 4-to-6 weeks of action.

Florida enters tonight having lost three straight on home ice and the Panthers are 5-5-0 as the host this season.

The Panthers and Avalanche split a pair of meetings last year with each club taking a game on home ice. Colorado has won five of seven and eight out of 11 in the series, but has lost its last two games in south Florida.