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Panthers try to stay hot against visiting Thrashers

Jan 17, 2011 - 4:00 PM (Sports Network) - The Florida Panthers will try to make up some ground on the team holding the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference and post their longest winning streak in almost three years this evening as they host the struggling Atlanta Thrashers at BankAtlantic Center.

The Panthers have won the first three contests of a six-game homestand to match their longest winning streak of the season. A victory tonight would give the club four straight for the first time since a seven-game run from March 2-16, 2008.

A win would also help Florida's playoff chances as it is seven points behind Atlanta, which sits eighth overall in the East. The Panthers have not made the postseason since 2000.

Florida came through with an overtime victory on Saturday over the Devils, getting the game-winner from Dmitry Kulikov with 1:24 left in the extra session. His goal came after New Jersey tied things with 8:47 left in the third.

"It hurts to give up that late goal and let them tie it," said Kulikov. "But that overtime goal was huge for the team and special for me. I was just waiting for some room to open up before shooting it."

Dennis Wideman had a goal and an assist and Evgeny Dadonov also scored for the Panthers, who lost captain Bryan McCabe to a broken jaw after he was hit with a puck. Though the tough blueliner returned to finish the game, he is expected to miss the next two weeks.

Florida has recalled Keaton Ellerby to take the place of McCabe, who has 16 assists and 21 points in 43 games.

Scott Clemmensen made 33 saves in the win and is expected to get his third straight start over Tomas Vokoun tonight. Clemmensen, who is 5-5-1 with a 2.39 goals-against average in 14 games (10 starts) this year, has yet to face the Thrashers in 2010-11 and is 1-3-0 with a 2.24 GAA versus them lifetime.

Vokoun had been in net for each of Florida's three previous meetings with Atlanta this year, going 1-2-0 with a 3.31 GAA. That includes a 3-2 setback at home on Jan. 5.

Rich Peverley scored twice in that victory over the Panthers and Ondrej Pavelec made 33 saves. The Thrashers have won four of five and six of their past nine over the Panthers, taking two straight and four of six in Florida.

Atlanta hasn't won since that meeting, getting outscored 24-9 over a season high-tying four-game slide. The Thrashers dropped a 9-3 decision to Toronto two days after beating the Panthers and their latest setback came on Saturday, a 6-1 defeat in Dallas.

Andrew Ladd notched the goal for the Thrashers, who last dropped five straight during a six-game slide from March 6-14.

"They're a top team, and I thought we did a pretty good job but right now we're not good enough," Ladd said. "We've got to find a way to get wins and get points."

Chris Mason stopped the three shots he faced before leaving with a lower-body injury in the first period. Pavelec took over and yielded all six goals on 24 shots to absorb the loss.

Pavelec has split two starts versus the Panthers this year, yielding four goals on 69 shots, and is 3-1-0 with a 2.01 GAA versus them lifetime.

Defenseman Tobias Enstrom notched an assist in Saturday's loss to give him 18 points over his last 14 games, including a goal and eight helpers over a six- game point streak to open January.